SAO: Dragon Knight
by SNEAKYD
Summary: Kiriguya Kazuto never wanted to lead. A killer and a loner doesn't deserve respect or loyalty. But, he certainly wont throw it away. He'll lead this group to freedom. Even if it kills him along the way, he must atone for his part in this madness. He must end Akihiko Kayaba. (Cannon retelling/Some OOC) [Kirito/Asuna] Rated-M for language, adult situations, and death.
1. CH1: Link Start!

**Hello everyone, SNEAKYD here. This is something I've been working on for a while along side a couple other Fics. This Fic is _mostly_ written but I'll almost certainly change or add things as I go back through it so don't expect the entire thing in a couple weeks. It took me months to get it to a point that I feel like I can start posting the chapters. I already have 100k+ words written and have finnished SAOI but I still need to go back and edit. If anyone want's to beta for me feel free to PM me.**

 **I wrote this story for my own enjoyment first and foremost. With that said, I don't give two shits if you hate my story (Hopefully you don't). Flames will be ignored, though I do encourage CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. PM me if you have any advise or questions.**

 **This story will feature an older and slightly different Kirito. He will be pretty OOC, but in a good way. Everyone else I tried to keep somewhat cannon aside from Asuna. I also tried to follow major cannon events pretty closely for you sticklers of cannon.**

 **Finally, I own neither Sword Art Online nor any other Anime/Manga/Movie/Show I may borrow ideas from.**

* * *

 **October 7, 2022**

 **Japan**

Kirigaya Kazuto sighed for nearly the hundredth time as he stared out the classroom window, it was going to rain. It wouldn't be the nice kind of rain either. It was cold out today, a bitter chill was in the air. It would be the kind of rain that only amplifies feelings of gloom and despair.

 _Fitting weather, for today…_ Kazuto thought sadly.

Today was Kazuto's seventeenth birthday. Most people would be ecstatic for their birthday. A birthday is a time to celebrate life, reflect on the past, and look towards the future. But, for Kazuto, October 7th only brought painful memories.

To most, Kazuto's life seemed almost like a dream. He had looks that men would kill for even at seventeen. He was tall, standing at six foot, and had lean muscle, gained from time spent in the kendo dojo. His sleek black hair cascaded down his head, framing his face and nearly shadowing his eyes. Last but not least was his regal looking face that was _almost_ feminine in nature. Many called him a pretty boy behind his back, but most were secretly jealous of the attention he received from the opposite sex. What pissed them off even more was Kazuto's _seemingly_ ignorance towards his effect on women.

Aside from his looks, Kazuto held top academic marks in school, out preforming kids several years his senior. He'd even been given the choice to graduate early and go to college, having already tested out of all High School courses. Kazuto turned down the offer, telling the school and his guardians that he was too busy with an unnamed project to bother with college, yet. That was a huge surprise to everyone. His guardians said nothing to him about his decision. They knew the work he was doing at the moment was much more important to him than going to college several years early.

Outside of the classroom, Kazuto had recently been nationally recognized as a master swordsman. He was reasonably famous for the kendo tournaments he'd won, a fame that he hated. It was annoying to be in public when so many people knew your face. That, combined with his good looks, had made a social life nearly impossible in his eyes. He didn't want to make friends with people who only saw him as a status symbol. That was where Kazuto's real passion came in, his saving grace; computers and video games, specifically virtual reality games.

Most of his classmates knew him as a computer genius. What they didn't see was what he did with that knowledge when no one was looking. Kazuto considered himself to be the best programmer and hacker in Japan, with the exception Akihiko Kayaba of course. In fact, the only reason Kazuto had not set down his swords to focus solely on computers was thanks to his grandfather.

The grandfather that was the source of his grief every year on his birthday. For 5 years he had been running from the memory of that day.

 _ **Flashback**_

 _Newly turned twelve year old Kazuto ran as fast as he could to reach his grandfather's kendo dojo. It was raining pretty heavily today and Kazuto was eager to begin training despite the in-climate weather. After his parents died, when he was very young, Kazuto spent much of his time with his grandfather. Rain or shine he trained with the old man._

 _In the beginning, the old man had been hard on Kazuto, the death of his daughter and her husband taking a great toll on him. Kazuto remembered how much he hated kendo practice back then. But he persevered so that his cousin, who was more like a sister, would be spared his grandfather's... 'attention'._

 _As the years passed by, Kazuto's grandfather warmed up to him a great deal. To the point that, by the time Kazuto reached the age of ten, he spent nearly everyday with the old man. His grandfather had always remained strict in his training, however._

' _I wouldn't be where I am today without it.' Thought Kazuto gratefully as he neared the dojo._

 _He paused slightly as he reached the dojo, the door was left open. That was extremely out of place, his grandfather was overly meticulous even on a bad day! Kazuto narrowed his eyes as he heard the sound of glass shattering inside._

 _Quickly removing his katana from his bag he made his way inside. What greeted him would haunt his memories and dreams for years to come._

 _Laying on the floor in the center of the dojo was his 80 year old grandfather, struggling to get up. Broken glass littered the floor around him and some was even stuck to his clothing and skin. Kazuto easily deduced that his grandfather had been thrown through the nearby sliding glass door that separated the dojo floor from the sitting room._

 _He quickly hid as he saw a man dressed in all black walk through the remains of the broken door, a gun in hand. The man must have caught Kazuto's grandfather off guard because the old man was more than skilled enough to handle a lone gunman. At least, that's what Kazuto wanted to believe. The reality of a child doesn't always align with the truth._

" _Where is the safe old man!" Yelled the gunman. "I have it on good authority that you keep a lot of yen here!" Kazuto gripped his sword tighter as the man aimed his gun at his grandfather. There was indeed a safe in the basement. Kazuto's grandfather kept most of his money in that safe, not trusting it to the banks._

 _Kazuto's grandfather looked up to meet the man's eyes but caught Kazuto's first. The old man's eyes widened slightly then a sad smile came across his face. He tore his gaze away from Kazuto and met the gunman's eyes with a look of defiance._

" _What kind of example would I set if I allowed you to steal from me? If I allowed you to get away and harm others? No… I'd die before I gave you a single Yen!" The old man spat._

 _The gunman tensed slightly then relaxed. "So be it old man!"_

 _Kazuto had already crossed half the distance between his hiding spot and the gunman when the gun went off. Kazuto screamed in rage as the world slowed around him. He watched, as his grandfather fell to the floor, struggling to breath with a gunshot wound to the chest. He watched, as the gunman spun around, a surprised look on his face._

 _In the future, when Kazuto would look back on his next actions, he would always view it from a third person's point of view. As if his body acted of its own accord, though he knew deep down he had made the decision with full conscious thought. No matter how clouded by rage he had been in that moment, it was a decision he would live with for the rest of his life. A decision he would make again and again no matter the consequences. A decision that would unknowingly prepare him for the future._

 _Kazuto's blade flashed out masterfully, removing the man's hand from his body before he could fire the gun a second time. Blood sprayed over Kazuto's face as the man fell to his knees, crying in pain. Going into a graceful spin, Kazuto reversed his grip on his katana and drove it backwards into the man's chest._

 _The man froze in shock as the razor sharp blade passed through his chest and out his back, slumping over dead moments later. Kazuto's eyes widened and he fell forwards onto his knees in shock. Tears fell from his eyes as he looked at his blood stained hands. He had the urge to throw up but pushed it down as he remembered his grandfather._

 _He quickly crawled over to the old man's prone form, trying his best to ignore the dead body lying off to the side. The elderly man smiled as he saw Kazuto kneeling next to him. "Kazu...to!" He exclaimed, coughing violently. Blood flew from his mouth and stained the front of his white kimono with even more of the crimson liquid._

 _Tears started to pour from Kazuto's eyes now. "It's going to be okay Jii-chan! You're not going to die, I'll go get help!" Kazuto made to stand but his arm was grabbed tightly._

 _He met the eyes of his grandfather, they held nothing but pride and acceptance. "No, Kazuto-kun….I'm going… (cough)...to die here…I'm proud…(cough, cough)...of you...Thank you…(cough)...for avenging an old man…Remember Kazuto…(cough)...never bow to the will of men like him!"_

 _The old man's eyes closed and he let out one last, ragged breath. Kazuto's scream of anger and sorrow drowned out the sound of sirens in the distance. All he could hear was the rain pouring down on the roof above._

 _ **End Flashback**_

* * *

Kazuto looked away from the window and down to his hands. He washed his hands thousands of times since that day but he could still see the blood glistening on his palms. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He had gotten over killing his grandfather's murderer years ago. He would do it again without a second thought if someone threatened his remaining family. What he couldn't really get over, was his own indecision to act. Had he moved a second sooner his grandfather would have been alive today. It wasn't the blood of the murder he saw on his hands, it was his grandfather's. Kazuto shook his head to clear away those thought. It never did him any good to dwell on them. Hindsight is 20/20 and all that.

After that day he'd thrown himself into kendo and kenjutsu training as well as computer studies. In less than a year he had nearly mastered several Ittoryu and Nitoryu sword styles as well as becoming adept in martial arts. In addition he began to write code for a man known as Akihiko Kayaba.

Kazuto met the man in an online programming forum and had impressed him with his knowledge of computer programing. Kayaba had been so impressed, he let Kazuto take a look at the VRMMO he'd been developing for the past few years. At the time, VR games were highly cutting edge, only existing in arcades and such.

After that day, Kayaba would occasionally email him a coding problem. It was never anything too revealing about the game, nor anything the man couldn't handle himself. It was mostly things to do with the game's combat system. Likely due to Kazuto's status as a kendo prodigy at the time.

Kazuto felt as if Kayaba was testing him, but for what reason, he wasn't sure. What he did know, was that he respected and looked up to Kayaba; so he would jump at a chance to assist the man. He also made quite a bit of money.

Kayaba began paying him millions of yen (AN: Thousands of US Dollars) per portion of code that he completed after the first year. That, on top of the prize money from kendo competitions, made Kazuto a pretty wealthy kid. Not that he spent any of it, though. He was content living how he was at the moment and had no need to spend his money.

Eventually Kayaba began delivering the money in person, much to Kazuto's surprise. During those visits they had talked about everything from Kazuto's schooling and the code that he'd been writing to his study of the blade. Kayaba would share information about SAO with Kazuto, never too much though; just as it had been before they'd met in person. The older genius became a mentor and a role model for Kazuto, some would say the closest thing he had to a friend at the time. Secretly, the man was like a father figure. He even _slightly_ filled the void left by Kazuto's grandfather's untimely death.

But, despite his closeness with Kayaba, Kazuto still couldn't get past his grandfather's death. Everyday felt as though he was simply going through the motions. The only thing holding his interest for long being kendo, computers, and videogames. All ways for him to escape the boring reality that was his life and the troubles of his past.

A few months ago Kazuto was invited, by Kayaba personally, to beta test the game that he'd been writing code for over the past few years. Kayaba had delivered his copy of the game and NerveGear personally. They talked about the game over dinner and Kayaba explained more about the game than he had at any other time during their lengthy relationship.

Sword Art Online was a masterpiece and Kazuto instantly fell in love with it. Only stopping to eat and practice kendo, Kazuto leveled extraordinarily fast in the beta; reaching level 22 and floor 16, solo, by the end. He attributed his success to his grandfather's training, no one could cross blades with him unless they significantly out-leveled him.

He also had an admin ID during the beta so he could edit code and fix bugs in the game. As far as he knew, he was the only beta tester with such access. He knew more about the game at this point than anyone other than Kayaba himself. It was unfair, but if there was one thing Kazuto knew, it was that life is rarely fair.

Playing the game had an unintentional side effect, however. The NervGear somehow made him smarter, faster, and more precise. His memory was becoming eidetic and he could perceive the world around him with many times more clarity. He assumed the NervGear was affecting him on a neural level but said nothing any anyone, not even Kayaba. It wasn't hurting him, yet, and no one else had reported anything like it.

The changes still paled in comparison to being in the actual game, though. He never felt so free then when he assumed his online persona. He couldn't wait to go back. Kayaba had emailed him at the end of the beta and thanked him personally for all of his help. Saying that he couldn't have done it without him and he would play an important role in things to come. He also said that he was sorry for not coming in person, that he had too many preparations to make.

The email had slightly bothered Kazuto. It seemed almost like... like a foreshadowing. The way Kayaba had worded his message was just… off. He wondered what the man was planning and the more he considered the possibilities, the more concerned he became.

The bell rang, bringing Kazuto out of his thoughts. As he stood to head home, he could only think of the month or so before the game became active. He had preparations to make as well.

* * *

 **SAO Day 0**

 **Nov 6, 2022**

Kazuto placed the NervGear on his head and laid down in bed. He looked at the clock, only a minute to go. It had been a long wait, but he was finally going to go back. The clock changed and Kazuto took a deep breath.

"Link Start!" He exclaimed with a smirk.

Instantly, the familiar falling sensation was felt as he logged into the game. It was the feeling of his brain syncing with the NervGear's neural net. Thankfully his character, Kirito, had carried over from the beta. Though his stats would certainly have been reset.

Kirito quickly manipulated his menu to view his stats. As expected they were set to level one, except for one. His perception skill, the skill governing reaction time, basic sight, basic hearing and, even the games added sixth sense for danger.

The perception skill in the game was unique in that it began based on the player's initial potential in real life. Basically, the more intelligent and the faster your brain worked in real life, the higher the skill. The skill could be increased by leveling up, giving the user a sort of superhuman perception within the game.

Kirito's had started at 220 in the beta and increased to 350 by the end. From the data he'd seen concerning the other beta's stats, 150-180 was a good baseline. Kirito knew that he was smarter than most people, so his initial stat came as no surprise. He did have a genius level IQ and insane reaction speeds thanks to kendo and martial arts training, after all.

He could barely wrap his head around his score now, though. He was at 430 base perception! That shouldn't be possible, unless the NervGear had affected his brain more than he initially realised. It actually gave a quantitative value to the increase in his brain function over the past few months. It had nearly doubled.

 _Did the NervGear really affect me that much? Will it affect me even more as I continue to play? I plan on putting a lot of hours into this game… what kind of side effects could that have?_ Kirito thought with a slight amount of worry.

He shook it off and quickly closed his stat window, lest someone catch a glimpse at it. No need to raise unwanted questions. He quickly went into his skills menu and scrolled down the list. Everything was the same as in the beta until he reached the bottom.

Two skills had been grayed out and their names displayed as question marks. Kirito's eyes widened slightly. No other skills were supposed to be added to the game, he should know, having coded much of the combat system.

 _Though, it's highly possible that Kayaba added a number of special combat skills without my knowledge. He only shared what he wanted to, after all._ Kirito thought with slight resentment as he pressed the first skill and a message appeared over the skill screen. The contents only served to further astound him.

« _Unique Skill Locked_ »

 _Requirements:_

 _500 STR (Strength)_

 _750 PER (Perception)_

 _500 AGL (Agility)_

He pressed the other skill and received a similar message.

« _Extra Skill Locked_ »

 _Requirements:_

 _300 STR (Strength)_

 _300 AGL (Agility)_

 _600 1HC (One-Handed Curved)_

Kirito quickly closed his menus and smiled. He had been given a gift, probably from Kayaba himself. _"You will play an important role in things to come."_ Kirito remembered the words from Kayaba's final email. The man was setting him up for something, but what? Taking off in a sprint, he headed for a monster farming area. As he rounded a corner he was called out by someone.

He stopped and turned to see another player running up behind him, clearly out of breath. It still amazed Kirito that the NervGear could cause a player to feel fatigue and pain. Sure he understood most of the science behind it, but it was still impressive. Kirito raised his eyebrows, the man seemed to understand the silent question.

"Uh...hey. You seem to know where you're going, like you've been here before. You were part of the beta test weren't you?" The man questioned quickly. He seemed a little nervous, speaking about the beta test but that was to be expected. The beta's were mostly elite MMO players hand picked by Kayaba himself.

Kirito nodded his head a little reluctantly. He could see where this was going and didn't really want to deal with it. It wasn't that he didn't want to help people, he just didn't want to do so on his first day back. None-the-less, Kirito answered affirmatively. "Yeah… I was."

The man smiled brightly. "Ah, I knew it!" He exclaimed boisterously. "My name is Klein. I was hoping you could show me around?" He questioned _almost_ begged, almost.

Instead of instantly turning the man down, Kirito actually thought about it for a moment. He had always been a solo player and helping Klein would hinder his progress at the start. Not to mention probably ruin his first day back. But, he already had a major edge on most of the people in the game anyways. One day wouldn't hurt his progress much at all and there was always tomorrow to enjoy the game solo.

"Sure… I guess. My name is Kirito. Follow me, I know a good spot to level up." Kirito replied after a tense few moments. Without another word he turned and resumed his previous trek towards the farming area.

Klein jumped for joy and followed Kirito out of the town.

* * *

 **Several Hours Later**

Klein and Kirito were currently resting on a small hill near the clearing they had been killing boars in. It had taken Klien some time to get the hang of the «Sword Skills» used in the game but he was coming along nicely. Kirito had yet to even use a «Sword Skill», much to Klein's confusion.

"Ne, Kirito?"

Kirito looked away from the setting sun to regard Klein. "Hmm?" He hummed lazily in response. He was pretty relaxed at the moment; despite his earlier fears of helping a newbie player ruining his first day back. Helping Klein had actually been enjoyable, it gave him a new objective. Like a self-made quest to train a player weaker than yourself. It was uniquely satisfying.

"I was just wondering… why I haven't seen you use a single «Sword Skill»? Not that you needed it!" Klein rushed out with a laugh. Kirito was amazing in his eyes; Easily killing several boars with pure skill in the span of time it took him to kill one _with_ a «Sword Skill».

Kirito was about to answer but paused for a moment, mulling over what to tell him. _I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell him some of the truth._ "Well in real life I'm very proficient with a blade….or two. You see, most enemies in SAO have a weak spot or several. A player skilled with a blade has no need for sword skills. I can do more damage without a sword skill than with one so long as I get critical hits." He explained sagely.

 _It's a little more complicated than that._ Kirito thought to himself. _But, Klein doesn't need to worry about that at this level. Until a player reaches level twenty, the sword skills they have access to do less damage than a non-assist critical hit. In addition, critical hits can be chained together, whereas sword skills have a cool down period. Meaning that I can do an exponential amount more damage with critical hits than with sword skills at this level. As long as I level my speed, I can probably continue to do so until level one-hundred. Possibly even create artificial sword skills. The possibilities are endless._ Kirito thought, still in slight awe at the game that he help create.

Klein's eyes lit up. "Awesome! So... do you know of Kirigaya Kazuto? That guy is amazing with a sword. Some say that he's never lost fight! He also has to be drowning in money, and women!" He finished with a perverse giggle.

Kirito almost choked on the bread that he was eating but quickly collected himself. _Well, he got the money part kinda right at least, though I'm not_ _ **that**_ _wealthy by any means. I try to actively ignore fan girls as well._ "Ah… well yes, he is very good, probably the best. But, I don't know him Klein-san, sorry."

 _Sorry for the lie Klein-san, but it's too early for someone to discover who I am. Every swordsman in the game would be out for my head. Though that might prove a nice challenge._ Contemplated Kirito with an inward smirk. The truth was that he loved fighting and the harder the challenge the better. Several thousand people trying to fight you would prove quite a challenge to anyone.

Klein just laughed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Hehe… Sorry about that. I got carried away with the fact that you're a swordsman in real life also. I just admire the guy, you know? To be a master swordsman at his age..."

Kirito looked out over the horizon at the setting sun. "Yeah, I know." He said barely above a whisper. A lot of people admired him, in school and out of it. He hated it but he never said a word. Kirito didn't see himself as worthy of their admiration and affection. He was a killer and a loner, both by choice.

The duo sat in silence for a moment until Klein jumped up with a yell. "Ah! I didn't realize it was so late. I have a pizza coming any moment! Will you be on tomorrow Kirito?"

Kirito stood gracefully and nodded. "Yeah, though I may have to leave you on your own tomorrow."

Klein looked a little put out but quickly covered it with a shrug. "Ah that's okay, you helped me a lot today. I can share what you taught me with my friends tomorrow." He exclaimed with a fist pump, regaining his slightly over the top attitude.

Kirito suppressed a laugh at the older man's zeal and smiled slightly. He watched as Klein manipulated his player menu to log out. At least he would have, had the logout button been present. "Eh, Kirito, there's no button to log out."

"What?!" Kirito exclaimed in surprise before opening his own player menu. He found the same thing, the logout button had been removed.

"I'm sure it's just a bug. Probably a server glitch." Kirito said reassuringly, though he knew his words were lies. He couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. Like something bad was about to happen. The same feeling he had when he read Kayaba's final email. _Is this your doing Kayaba? This is no glitch, someone had to forcibly remove access to the button._

All of a sudden, both players were enveloped by a bright blue light. They appeared with thousands of other players in the center of The Town of Beginning.

"Ahh! What the hell was that Kirito!" Klein exclaimed loudly as he rubbed his eyes from the flash.

Kirito looked around calmly. He was used to the teleports, having used many a teleport crystal during the beta. "Remote teleport. Probably part of some kind of opening event. It would also explain the disabled logouts." He reassured him despite not believing it himself. _I don't want to worry him, but this isn't right. Something is very, very wrong here._

Suddenly a strange mirror appeared in everyone's hands. Almost simultaneously the collective of players looked into their respective mirrors. In less than ten seconds the whole crowd had been changed to look exactly how they did in real life.

"Kirito! You...You look like Kirigaya Kazuto!" Klein exclaimed in awe. It was no wonder he was so good at the game! To a master swordsman a game like this would be child's play.

Kirito sighed. Oh well, hopefully no one else would notice for some time... "And I would assume that you look like yourself Klein-san. Please don't tell anyone about me. I want to keep my identity secret for now. I may not be that famous but enough people know who I am to cause me problems in this world."

Klein nodded quickly. He could easily hear the imploring nature in Kirito's voice. "Of course Kirito. I won't tell anyone. You might want to get a cloak or mask though. You _are_ pretty recognizable." He paused for a moment to contemplate. "Actually you probably want both." He finished with a grin, holding up two fingers representing both articles of clothing.

Kirito nodded. "Way ahead of you." He said as he quickly equipped a black cloak and face mask. The cloak covered his whole form and the mask covered everything but his eyes. Both had dropped from a boar earlier. _How lucky of me._ He thought dryly. The only thing visible was the curved scimitar on his back. Kirito would have preferred a straight blade but he wanted to unlock that extra skill ASAP.

The curved blade was growing on him though. It was similar enough to a Katana that it didn't feel completely foreign in his hands. The problem was that the blade was too light, too short, and too wide. Kirito shook his head, now was not the time to dwell on his choice of weapon.

Klein was about to ask a question when a giant red warning field sprung to life over head. The gathered crowd watched in awe and a bit of fear as a massive cloaked figure appeared in the air above them.

"My name is Akihiko Kayaba and, as of this moment, I am in control of this world." Said the cloaked figure in a booming voice. The creator's statement was met with loud murmurs and shouted questions.

He continued on, completely ignoring the players below. "I'm sure most of you have already noticed an item missing from your main menus: the logout button. Let me assure you, this is not a defect in the game. I repeat, this is not a defect. This is how Sword Art Online was designed to be." Kayaba explained, shocking every last one of the players below him.

Kirito's eyes widened at that, so his suspicions were confirmed. "What is the meaning of this Kayaba…" His voice barely a whisper. Klein looked at Kirito quizzically, having heard the boy's whispered words. Kirito ignored the look, trying to figure out Kayaba's game. The more he thought about the possibilities the more worried he became.

"You cannot log yourselves out of SAO, and no one from the outside will be able to shut down or remove the NervGear from your head. If anyone attempts to do so, a transmitter inside the NervGear will discharge a microwave signal into your skull, destroying your brain and ending your life."

Kirito listened as Kayaba explained his plan. How 213 people had already died. How the only way to leave the game would be to clear all 100 floors. As the man spoke Kirito descended slowly into a calm, calculated rage. He hadn't felt this way since the day his grandfather died.

The last time he felt this way his hands had been stained by the blood of a murderer. Kirito looked down to his hands and back up to the floating avatar of Akihiko Kayaba. _My hands will be stained with the blood of another murderer before this is over. I will not die in this game. A game that I helped to create._ Finding his resolve Kirito made a decision that would be looked back on as a defining moment in the death game that was SAO.

Kirito looked to Klein. "Stay here, there's something I have to do." Klein nodded reluctantly. He was wary of leaving Kirito's side, he felt totally out of his depth. It was a feeling mirrored by 99.9 percent of the players around him.

Kirito ran to the center of the Town Square as Kayaba's avatar disappeared. The crowd was already going into a panic, he had to be quick. He scaled the clock tower in the center of the town square and opened his inventory. Quickly manipulating some settings, Kirito set his voice to project across the wide area. It was a scarcely known trick even among the betas.

"SHUT UP!" He yelled out, his voice echoing through the entire town center.

Everyone froze and looked up towards the source of the voice. They were surprised to see a figure standing on the clocktower. His black cloak billowing in the wind. Black eyes looked down on them from above the black face mask concealing his features. He looked ominous and powerful standing above them.

The figure spoke in a calm and soothing voice. "I know that most of you are afraid, scared of what is to come. I share your fear, but we cannot allow that fear to control us. We must be strong in the face of death. Do not lose hope, do not falter, and we will clear all 100 floors." Kirito paused as excited murmurs broke out among the crowd.

"For those of you that don't believe his words, I assure you, this is no longer a game. This is our life now and we cannot afford to lose. I call upon the beta testers to help those who are lost. Guide them until they can stand on their own. You know who you are and you should know who I am, so please, heed my advice. Good luck everyone, stay safe and don't lose hope. We will clear this game!" He finished confidently.

Kirito used his already impressive speed to disappear from the top of the tower. He landed next to Klein and grabbed his arm. "Come, we're leaving." Was all he said before once again disappearing with Klein in tow.

Once out of the town center, Kirito stopped and turned to Klein. He pulled his mask down and removed the hood of his cloak to speak face to face. "I'm sorry but we have to part ways here." He explained regretfully. He really didn't want to leave Klein to fend for himself, but he had to move forward on his own for now.

Klein was taken back by this. "Wha!? But, you just said..."

"I know what I said!" Kirito snapped, surprising Klein with his outburst. He'd been nothing but calm in the short time Klein had known him. Kirito took a deep breath to center himself. "You don't understand my situation. It would be dangerous for you to travel with me right now." Kirito looked away, not really wanting to say more. He hoped Klein would just drop the matter and leave him be.

Klein was confused and had no intention of letting Kirito go off on his own without an explanation. "Why? You seem to know more about this game than anyone."

Kirito met Klein's eyes and the older man recoiled slightly. Kirito's eyes were hard as diamond and held a stone cold rage. "I don't know why I'm telling you this." He began softly. "But it cannot be shared. Keeping my identity secret pales in comparison to this..."

Klein nodded seriously and Kirito sighed heavily. He turned to look out at the sun which was barely peaking over the horizon at this point. It would be dark soon, not a good time to be in the wild at such a low level. Many monsters grew in strength and numbers at night. He had to be quick if he wanted to be out there to help those foolish enough to venture out at night.

"Several years ago, I met a man on a programming forum." Kirito began. "He was impressed by some of the programs I'd written. He asked if I would like to take a look at a project that he'd been working on for some time, a VRMMO."

Klein's eyes widened as he stared at Kirito's back, putting two and two together. "Over the next several years the man would send me emails containing coding problems for me to write and or solve. It was never anything that he couldn't really finish himself, mostly things related to in-game combat. He was testing me, I know now that he was also preparing me. You see Klein, that man… was Akihiko Kayaba. So go back into town, hate me for my part in this mess, but I must clear this game." Kirito finished remorsefully as he hung his head slightly.

Klein stood in shock for a moment before grabbing Kirito's shoulders and spinning him around. "This isn't your fault Kirito, unless you can tell me that you helped Kayaba make this a death game." Kirito shook his head vehemently. He never would have helped create this! "Then you hold no more responsibility than anyone else who may have worked with Kayaba." Klein told him sternly.

Kirito sighed and stepped back. "Thank you for believing in me Klein, but I don't think most people will be so understanding." Klein nodded, it was very doubtful. Kirito would have a target painted on his back if such knowledge got out at the moment.

"That's why I'll keep your secret, Kirito." Klein assured him. "But, what will you do on your own? How can you make a difference solo?" He asked, worried for his new friend's safety. This game was no joke, even for someone like Kirigaya Kazuto.

Kirito gave Klein a faint smile but it held no happiness, it was empty and seemed to be an attempt to cover Kirito's pain. "It may be my own doing, but I've been solo for a long time Klein. I've gotten pretty good at it over the years. The people trapped in this game need a symbol for hope. I will be that symbol, Klein. I never liked fame, in real life or games. But, people will lose hope with no one to look up to. I am in a position to become strong enough for everyone, I can't run from that." Kirito said with passion. He exuded confidence as he spoke which made Klein feel better in turn.

 _It'll also get me one step closer to my true goal._ Kirito thought. _I will kill Kayaba and atone for my part in this. No one will stand in my way!_

Klein opened his menu and sent Kirito a friend request while holding out his hand. "Friends?"

Kirito hesitated for a moment before accepting the invite and shaking Klein's hand. "This is goodbye for now Klein. Keep in touch and don't hesitate to call me if you need help. We are in this together after all. Maybe, in time, I'll even form a guild." He mused as he turned to walk away.

"Of course! The same goes for you Kirito, farewell. Oh, and save some positions in your guild for my friends and I." He said with a wave. Kirito paused for a brief moment to wave over his shoulder before disappearing in a burst of speed.

 _I believe in you Kirito, good luck._ Klein thought with hope as he turned to head back into The Town of Beginning. He had some friends to find.

* * *

 **And that's a wrap for the first chapter of SAO: Dragon Knight. I hope you enjoyed what I've written so far. Please review. Tell me what you like and what you didn't like. Tell me what I could do better in the future for later chapters. I'm bad about replying to reviews so if you want to discuss the story or ask questions feel free to PM me. I can't say when the next chapter will be ready. It's technically "finished" but I'm not confident it's ready yet.**

 **See you all next time, peace.**


	2. CH2: An Old Freind, Illfang, and Parties

**SNEAKYD here and welcome to the next installment of my SAO fic. I would have had this chapter out sooner but I've been busy with life (And other stories lol). It only took me four hours to re-read and edit this one which isn't to bad. Anyways, as always, feel free to review or PM me with questions. Flames will be extinguished by my lack of caring.**

 **I own nothing.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **One Month After Day 0  
** **Aincrad, Floor 1**

Kirito sat alone atop the stone risers that half circled the small stage below, unnoticed by the assembled group. There was a small meeting being held with some of SAO's current top players present. Though none of them could hold a candle to his level, they all seemed prepared to face the first floor boss. Only time would tell in that regard.

Their ignorance to his presence was advantageous for Kirito. He was already a legend among the players of SAO. He'd saved well over a hundred players in the month since his departure from the Town of Beginnings. Not to mention the stunt he pulled just after Kayaba's speech.

People began calling him the Black Swordsman on account of the black cloak and face mask he wears. Kirito's appearance changed since Day 0, though most only saw that iconic cloak. Today he wore a new black cloak that looked to be made of some sort of silk. Underneath he wore a simple set of black leather armor. He didn't need anything heavy as it would restrict his movement.

None knew his face and his name was only spoken in hushed whispers by those privy to the knowledge. None the less, he was already regarded as the strongest player in SAO. It was an unofficial title he had no intention of relinquishing to anyone. He needed to be the strongest if they were going to make it home; If he was going to kill _that_ man...

When he walked through town, many people looked at him in awe. Most kept their distance, afraid to talk to the game's strongest player. They whispered and gossiped about his skill and mysterious image. It was almost as if he'd traded his real life for this game. Only here, almost everyone knew who he was. Some players even approached him and asked him to party with them. He turned every one of them down save for one person.

It was by design that Kirito put his image out there at the start of the game. It was more than just an impassioned speech to assuage the fears of the players trapped in SAO. It was a shout out to anyone from his past that was also trapped here. In the beta, Kirito had been completely solo and only made passing acquaintances, he didn't expect those people to seek him out.

No, it went further back than SAO. Back to the MMO he played before, while he was still writing code for Kayaba; Elder Tale. Elder Tale was, and still is, the most popular MMO in the world. SAO was meant to upstage Elder Tale due to it's life like immersiveness thanks to the NervGear.

 _That worked out well, huh?_ Kirito thought sarcastically. He'd been among the best of the best during his time playing Elder Tale. Even then he'd been, primarily, a solo player. The difference was that he'd been part of an unofficial guild as well. _Well, I was a bit more than a part of that group, I helped found it after all._ He remembered with a small smile.

Kirito's group, the Debauchery Tea Party, was famous in Elder Tale and even outside of it. There were hundreds of thousands of people that knew the name. Kirito had been the co-leader beside the leader Kanami. They were known for charging ahead of the other guilds, clearing raids and exploring new lands faster than even the large combat guilds.

Their party of twenty nine players was seen as the best in the world and only a few came close. Unfortunately, they disbanded shortly before the launch of the SAO beta. Kirito backed out of the party to beta SAO, Kanami moved to Europe, Naotsugu got a new job and so on.

Kirito put his image out there at the beginning of SAO in the hopes that someone from the Tea Party might seek him out. They would know who he was once they heard his name from one of the other betas. Though he hoped none of them were trapped in SAO, he wouldn't mind a familiar player to speak to; Someone he knew he could trust and depend on. Because, truthfully, being on his own was quickly becoming tiresome and stressful.

In the real world it was simple to be a 'solo player', so to speak. Day to day life in the real world was hardly fraught with danger and combat. At least in his small corner of the world. Here in Aincrad he had to constantly be on guard since he spent most of his time outside of town. It was all too easy to get distracted and be killed by some monster. No matter one's level.

About a week ago, Kirito's solo play came to an end… mostly. One of the old Tea Party members finally caught up to him; Agil, the Debauchery Tea Party's merchant. Kirito's happiness at seeing Agil was only surpassed by his sadness that his friend was also trapped in SAO. He was the one person in the Tea Party that Kirito really had a close relationship with. He was also the closest thing Kirito had to a true friend at this point despite never having met the man in person.

Kayaba had betrayed him by trapping him in this hell along with 9999 other people. What was worse was that Kirito never truly saw the man as _just_ _a_ _friend_. He was a role model and a father figure. The only other person that could be considered a friend now, was Klein, but they'd only known eachother for a month. Hardly enough time to form a close friendship with someone. Add to that fact, Klein was back in The Town of Beginning training his friends and growing stronger. The two had only met up once since Day 0.

One other person came to mind and that was Shiroe, but they were more like rivals than friends. Shiroe had been the Tea Party's strategist. He was a genius when it came to strategy, no one could match him in Elder Tale save for Kirito himself. Though that was still up for debate. But, Kirito prefered to fight most of the time anyways, so he left the strategy solely to Shiroe. Something that he couldn't do here in SAO, unfortunately.

All things considered, Kirito was glad to have Agil by his side at the very least. The older man was still as much a financial genius as he'd been in Elder Tale. He was the major reason why Kirito was so rich this early in the game, they both were. His presence also helped Kirito feel a little less alone as he traveled the vast expanse of Floor 1.

Agil had jumped at the chance to party with Kirito when they finally met up. He knew that Kirito was their best chance of clearing the game. He was one of the few that knew Kirito had coded for Kayaba. The rest of the Tea Party knew as well, but Agil and Shiroe knew more about Kirito than any of the other members. The former as a friend and the latter as a rival. They had all been deeply impressed that he was working on a project like SAO at such a young age. He'd only been around fourteen at the time.

That being said, Agil had vowed to follow Kirito to the end of SAO. It was a show of loyalty and trust that was not lost on Kirito. Agil was putting his life in Kirito's hands. He was trusting that Kirito would lead them home. Kirito was very grateful for the man's support, though wary about having another life to worry about save for his own. Said man currently sat away from Kirito near the bottom of the stands.

They sat apart so Kirito could stay inconspicuous. One player hidden in the shadow of a stone pillar at the top of the risers was much less noticeable than two. In addition, Agil was always trying to meet new customers to sell his goods to. Goods that he acquired primarily from Kirito. It would be hard to stay unnoticed if you had a friend running a shop right next to you.

Kirito smirked as he watched Agil work down below. It really was nice to have a familiar face by his side.

Aside from Kirito's rising fame and Agil's appearance, a lot else had happened in the month since the start of the game. The death toll had been surprisingly high, despite Kirito's speech in the beginning. Rising to just over 1000 souls. Unfortunately, too many of them had been players that hadn't believed in the reality of their situation and jumped from the edge of the floating castle. Around 250 players had been lost to suicide, whether they really thought they would die or not was irrelevant.

Every death just added more red to Kirito's ledger. Or at least that's how he perceived it. Sure Kayaba could have finished SAO without his help. But the fact remained that Kirito _did_ help create the game and he couldn't shake that nagging feeling of responsibility. It would no doubt eat at him for the foreseeable future...

Anyways, another 350 or so had been new players who panicked and left the Town of Beginning. Either alone or in too small of groups, it didn't matter. They were too 'green' to be effective and were slaughtered by the game's monsters. Kirito tried not to imagine how high the death toll would have been had he not saved as many players as he had so far. But simply saving players would not redeem him. No, only Kayaba's death could do that.

Even more unfortunate than the suicides, in Kirito's opinion, was the large percentage of beta testers who perished as well. Most would call him insensitive for a thought like that, but losing around 200 beta's was **not** good. The more beta's they had alive, the faster and easier it would be to clear the game. That was the cold hard reality of their situation.

They were players that hadn't heeded Kirito's words at the beginning and attempted to make it on their own. Had they stayed to help the new players in the Town of Beginning they'd probably be alive right now. A fifth of the beta's lost to rash decisions and fear... It almost made Kirito reconsider his decision to leave the other beta's behind to tend to the new players, almost. He had no time for should-haves and regrets at the moment.

Thankfully the rest of the beta testers had stepped up to help the community, but there was still a lot of resentment. A fair number of the player saw the betas as having an unfair advantage and therefore a greater chance at survival. It was certainly true, but also an irrational mentality in a predicament as dangerous as this. Kirito hoped to fix this with the clearing of the first floor boss. The new players need to learn from the beta's, not distance themselves over petty jealousy.

To help with that, Kirito himself refrained from taking any quests save those that could be repeated limitlessly. He felt that it would be wrong for him to take the chance from someone who actually needed it. He advised the few betas he'd spoken to, to do the same. Most agreed without too much opposition. They all understood that only a large group of powerful players would be able to clear this game. The faster the new players leveled the better.

Despite his own lack of questing, Kirito had already risen back to his beta level of 22. This more than doubled the levels of almost everyone in SAO, currently. The only reason he was able to accomplish that feat was due to increasing side effects from his NervGear.

 _As far as I know, no one else is experiencing what I am…_ Kirito thought curiously. It was a strange occurrence to be sure. He even spoke to Agil about it and the merchant agreed, it wasn't normal.

He started noticing it a week after the game began. His need for sleep was tapering off. Over the past three weeks he'd gone from needing nine hours of sleep to needing less than three.

It was this strange skill, for lack of a better word, that allowed him to train for those three weeks with not much of a break. Kirito heard of people in real life who only need a few hour of sleep a night, but he hadn't been one of them. The only thing he could think of was that the NervGear was having even **more** of an effect on his mind than just increasing his IQ and worldly perception. That begged the questions: How else was it going to affect him? How was this happening? Was his NervGear special?

Kayaba _had_ delivered it personally. It would have been child's play for the man to have modified the device. But to what end?

For now, Kirito was just glad he could sleep longer if he chose to. Though, most of the time he chose _not_ to. He often had nightmares of his grandfather's death, the less he slept the less he dreamt. The greatest downside was that it was lonely being up all the time. Agil still needed a normal eight hours or so. That left Kirito with five hours to train alone at night.

 _It's a good thing I'm used to the loneliness._ Kirito thought with a sigh. He really couldn't complain though, his loner attitude was of his own making, after all. Even with Agil by his side he still stayed pretty reserved. It was hard not to. Even if the older man knew about Kirito's past and accepted it, there was still that invisible force that kept him from opening up to his friend. Agil said nothing about Kirito's attitude, he just hoped Kirito would lighten up eventually.

During Kirito's month of mostly solo training he unlocked one of his extra skills. Simply named «Katana», the skill allowed him to use a Katana as his primary. He had yet to get his hands on a Katana; Though that was unsurprising, as he was still on the first floor and had a skill that _should_ have taken him much longer to unlock. The only reason he had the skill now was from him pouring all of his level points into the necessary categories.

His STR was at 301, his AGL 456, and his 1HC 613. Unfortunately his other skills had suffered greatly for this. _I will have to work harder on my other skills now._ He thought pensively. _I had to know that I was right though. Kayaba definitely allowed me to see these skills on my skill list. It's almost like he's setting me up to defeat him. Like he's creating an enemy of his own design… No matter. With the amount of time that we're liable to be trapped in this game I can level nearly all the combat skills available. Whatever his endgame, I'll be ready for it._

Kirito pushed his thoughts aside and looked up slightly as the player who called the meeting, Diavel, arrived and began to explain the nature of said meeting. He could think on Kayaba's motives later. They had a long way to go before reaching floor 100.

"Right, anyway here's the deal. Our party found the boss room at the top of the tower today." Diavel paused and allowed that to soak in. Once all the excited murmuring quieted he continued.

"First, we need to defeat the boss and make it to Floor Two. The next step is we have to tell everyone waiting in the Town of Beginnings that it is possible to beat this game! Fact is, it's our duty as the most capable players here! Do you agree or not?!" Diavel yelled out passionately.

Most of the small crowd clapped and cheered. Kirito smiled slightly, though it was hidden by his mask. _If we can clear this first boss the world's morale will skyrocket._ Unknown to everyone in SAO besides Agil, Kirito had found the boss room two weeks ago.

He kept quiet about it for one simple fact; No one was ready yet. He knew that if he came forward with the location, a lot of players would jump at the chance to defeat the boss. It would be like leading lambs to slaughter and Kirito wouldn't have that. He couldn't... wouldn't... throw away the lives of so many people just to clear the first boss. Such and act might actually break the mental fortitude he'd built up for the months to come.

He even briefly considered clearing the boss with just Agil and himself at one point. It was definitely possible, though **highly** risky, even with their high levels. He almost tripled the boss's level at present and Agil nearly doubled it at level 16. Agil was able to get to such a high level thanks to the party EXP share system. For everything Kirito killed, the EXP was split evenly between them. It meant slower leveling after Agil joined up with him, but he had been level 19 already at that point so it didn't matter.

However, despite their impressive levels, Kirito chose not to fight Illfang. He didn't want to create a rift between himself and the potential clearing group. In actuality, he didn't want to widen the rift that he knew was already forming. Kirito had a plan for the future. One that would require the newly forming clearing group to follow him into battle without question. A plan that would lead him to his ultimate goal, Akihiko Kayaba.

Kirito refocused as the crowd quieted down and Diavel continued. "Okay, glad to hear you're all with me on this, now let's figure out how we're going to beat the boss. First off, we'll team up into parties of six. A typical party doesn't stand a chance against a floor boss. We need a raid group made up of multiple parties."

Kirito was glad that Diavel knew what he was talking about, or seemed to at least. As he looked over the group of players his eyes fell on the only other player sitting alone. He could tell the cloaked figure was a female, probably around his age. Though it was hard to tell. He could also see her level thanks to his already level 525 perception skill. It was amazing what the skill could do as you leveled it. She was level 11, two or three levels higher than most everyone present. She wore the same cloak as him except in red.

 _Maybe I should party with her... I would be fine with just Agil by my side, but she definitely won't be fine solo. She's a few levels higher than the rest of the group, but that means nothing. She'll still need help at her level. It also looks like Agil's going to partner with some of the weaker players. That's good Agil, they need more help than me._ Kirito praised silently before he quickly shifted himself over so that he was seated next to the mystery girl.

"You got left out, huh?" He stated more than questioned. It was obvious she was all alone like himself.

The girl looked up slightly but not enough for him to see her face. "Not even. I wasn't left out.

It's just everyone seems like they're already friends." She replied. There was a hint of sadness in her voice but it was overpowered by her mostly apathetic tone.

Kirito smiled slightly at her response. It was much like something he would have said in her place. He only hoped she wouldn't turn him down as well. It's what he would do, after all. "So you're solo then... You want to form a party with me? I can tell that you out level almost everyone here. But, you could still use some help. Raids are not the kind of thing you want to attempt solo."

She was still for a long moment, contemplating his request. Finally she dipped her head slightly, nodding in consent. Kirito sagged slightly in relief. _I'm glad she agreed, I would hate for her to get killed in the boss fight._ Kirito shook his head slightly at the ease in which his mind conjured up such morbid thoughts. The ease in which he accepted death was even more disconcerting. It was growing with each passing day and it scared him. Kirito quickly sent her a party request before his mind drifted further into darkness. She accepted after another moment of hesitation.

"Asuna." Kirito said quietly after reading the party list. It was a pretty name, he thought casually.

Asuna looked up again, startled that he knew her name. Kirito caught the unanswered question right away. He'd always been good at reading people. It was a skill gained from many years watching rather than joining in. Being a loner didn't always go hand in hand with social ineptitude.

"Your name is displayed in the party screen. You can see mine as well." He explained kindly. He felt the need to be nicer to this girl than he'd been to most anyone save his sister Suguha. Maybe it was this girl's reluctance to join or her air of nervousness? He couldn't really say, nor did he really care all that much.

She nodded and looked at her party screen. "Kirito?" She questioned shyly before her eyes widened at the name. "Wait! I've hear that name! You're…" Asuna was cut off by a finger held to her lips. She blushed at the contact, too stunned to pull away. And, thankfully for Kirito, too stunned to hit him over the head for touching her.

Kirito frowned and made a soft shushing noise, holding his other finger to his masked lips. "No need to announce my presence yet, ne? I've been trying to keep a low profile lately. People keep asking me to party with them and it's getting annoying. I've got my own plans, after all." He grumbled/pouted out while removing his finger from her lips. Asuna failed to hold back a small giggle at his explanation and slightly surly attitude.

Kirito smiled at that, he was glad to make her laugh, she seemed a bit depressed. Though, given their situation, most people were. The only thing that kept him from being overly depressed by the situation was his grandfather's death, strangely.

The guilt he felt from that day outweighed any emotion caused by being trapped in this game by far. Even the deaths of the other players couldn't outweigh that guilt. Not yet anyways...

It made him realise that he would do whatever it takes to clear this game. Kirito couldn't decide whether that was a good thing or a bad thing so he just cast the thought aside for now. Just one more issue piling up at the back of his mind. He might even go insane before reaching the hundredth floor if this keeps up.

"All right. Looks like everyone's teamed up. Now then…" Diavel spoke up, but was abruptly cut off by another player appearing at the top of the stone risers. The player jumped down several steps at a time to reach the bottom and turned to face the assembled players. Kirito hardly cared to take note of the guy's appearance. There was nothing special to set him apart from the rest.

"Hold up a sec! My name's Kibaou, got that?" He declared boisterously, thumping his chest. "Before we take on the boss, I want to get something off my chest!" A murmur of curiosity swept through the small crowd and Kirito narrowed his eyes under his hood. **Now,** he was intrigued. "We all know about the thousand people who died so far, yeah? Well, some of you need to apologize to them right now!" Kibaou yelled angrily, pointing into small the crowd.

"Kibaou, I think I know who you're referring to. You mean the ones who were ex-beta testers, right?" Diavel questioned almost nervously. Kirito caught the man's nervousness and smirked inwardly. _So he is a former beta tester as well, interesting… I don't remember him but that doesn't mean anything. I was much too busy leveling and fixing bugs to learn everyone's name and face._

Kibaou looked at the man angrily. "'Course I mean them! The day this stupid ass game started, a lot of the beta guys just got up and vanished! They ditched all us beginners! They snagged all the good hunting spots, and they grabbed all the easy quests too! They…" Before the jaded player could continue any further into his tirade, he was interrupted by a large black man.

"Can I say something?" He questioned to the crowd as he stood up. No one said a word to stop him. Most players there knew who Agil was as well as who he'd recently partied with. News spread fast among the game's growing band of elite players. Anyone allied with the Black Swordsman was to be feared and respected. "Hey, my name's Agil." The large man gave a small introductory wave to the crowd before turning back to Kibaou. "Kibaou right?" At the player's nod Agil continued. "I want to make sure I'm on the same page. You say the ex-beta testers should be blamed for the rookies' deaths because they didn't help them?"

Kibaou looked slightly nervous now and just nodded. Agil was an imposing man, standing well over six feet tall with a decent amount of muscle on his frame. He could easily crush the likes of Kibaou. Combat may be disabled in towns but that didn't mean you couldn't get knocked around. Such fights were rare but not unheard of and they were no less terrifying for the player getting his or her ass kicked.

Agil said nothing as he opened his inventory. He produced a small leather bound book. "The item store hands these out for free. It's a guidebook. You got one, didn't you?" Agil questioned like he was speaking to a petulant child. He wasn't too far off in his assessment of Kibaou either.

Kibaou responded, sounding affronted by Agil's question. "Sure I got one. So, what about it?"

Agil was about to say more when a cloaked figure silently appeared, standing next to him with a hand on his shoulder, halting his words. Asuna's eyes widened when she realized that the cloaked figure was Kirito. She hadn't seen him move! One second he'd been seated next to her and the next... He was so fast he appeared to have teleported to Agil's side.

His cloak billowed lightly in the wind as he turned his head slightly and caught Agil's eye. The man gave a nod and retook his seat. Kirito took a few steps forward and stopped right in front of Kibaou. He stood so close he could hear the disgruntled player's quickening heartbeat. "You're ignorance and arrogance sickens me." Kirito stated after a moment of tense silence.

The crowed was surprised by the harsh words and Kibaou was completely floored. He had no time for rebuttal as Kirito laid into him. "The book Agil-san spoke of is the compilation of all the beta tester's knowledge concerning this game." Kirito continued, his voice even but cold. "Every player has access to this book. Assuming they read it and committed it to memory, they would have nearly the same chances as the the beta testers. In addition to that, most of the beta testers stayed behind to help the newbie players at the start of the game.

"Also, of the thousand that have died so far, just over two hundred died before the game began. Of the eight-hundred killed after the game began, nearly a third were suicides. Only about 350 newbie players have actually been killed by monsters. The rest of the deaths were beta testers that thought they could make it on their own. Around 200 players." Kirito clarified, his voice gaining a harsh edge from speaking about the people who needlessly lost their lives. He couldn't help but blame himself for not finding a way to prevent it.

At this point the gather players were astounded by the information being given. They had no reason to doubt it either. Most had already realized that the cloaked man was none other than 'The Black Swordsman'. If anyone knew such statistics, they all figured it would be him. In reality, they all had access to the information. They just had to know where to look and most didn't.

"Your jaded attitude is blocking you from seeing the truth, Kibaou-san." Kirito finished coldly.

Kibaou was red with rage at this point. "What truth! What the fuck are you talking about?!"

Kirito sighed and looked over the crowd, his eyes cold and filled with determination. He looked at each and every one of them, causing shivers to run down their spines. "The truth that, without the beta testers help, far more than eight-hundred people would have died since the beginning of this game. You say that the beta's are responsible for the deaths so far?" He leaned in to whisper in Kibaou's ear. It was a whisper that somehow carried to the ears of every last person watching. Like he was leaning over each of their shoulders. "You're wrong, they're responsible for the lives of those still living. Remember that." With that said Kirito disappeared and reappeared a second later seated next to Asuna.

Kibaou fell down in shock at the words spoken to him. Many of the assembled players were glaring at his back. Diavel took this moment to step in and get the meeting back on track. He stepped around Kibaou's downed form to address the crowd. "Err… Okay, can we get back to the meeting now?" Everyone nodded slowly and Diavel continued, thankful the interruption was over.

"For info on the boss, it's all in the latest issue of the guidebook you heard about. According to the book, the boss's name is Illfang the Kobold Lord. Also, he'll be surrounded by his minions, the Ruin Kobold Sentinels. Illfang carries an ax and a buckler. He has four health bars, and when the last one turns red, he switches to a curved sword type weapon called a Talwar. He can change his patterns of attack, too." Diavel explained thoroughly.

Kirito frowned at the explanation. _He's definitely another beta tester. Hopefully he doesn't try anything stupid..._ He could tell that Diavel knew the information by heart. The man had probably been part of the raid on the first boss in the beta. But, Kirito also knew that Kayaba would have certainly changed things. Even if they were small changes, they could make relying on knowledge gained in the beta dangerous. Especially for something a difficult as defeating a floor boss.

"That's it for the briefing. As for the distribution of loot, money will be divided equally among everyone. The party that defeats the boss gets the EXP; and whoever gets an item, gets to keep it. Any objections?" Nobody spoke up and Diavel nodded. "Good! We leave tomorrow at ten in the morning! Meeting adjourned, people."

Some moved to leave but most stayed to converse with their raid groups. Kirito caught Agil's eye once again and gave a nearly imperceptible gesture for the man to follow. He turned to Asuna and frowned slightly. "I'll come find you later, Asuna." He stated simply before disappearing.

Asuna looked over to where Agil was standing just in time to see the man say a few words to his party members then leap away in a burst of speed as well. Though nowhere near as fast as Kirito, his speed was still impressive. If she wasn't so fast herself she would have missed the large man's movements. Asuna sighed and got up as well. She was going to get some more training in before the boss fight.

* * *

Kirito appeared silently on the rooftop of the inn behind the meeting area. It was on top of a hill so he could easily see all of the players in the stands below. He watched Agil move in his direction before tuning his attention to Asuna. She stood to leave and took off towards one of the more hidden training areas near the town they were in.

Agil appeared behind him a few moments later and walked forward slowly to stand by his side. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and brought his hand down to look at the liquid. "I know this is just a program, all ones and zeros. But, it feels so real at times. Too real almost." He remarked after a moment of silence.

Kirito didn't respond immediately to his friend's words. Eventually he turned his head slightly and responded. "It's hot out today. I can feel the heat radiating through my cloak and armor. Though it may only be a program to simulate heat, it doesn't make it any less real. The moment we could truly die in this world did it become reality."

Agil grunted in agreement. "So it seems, Kirito." They were silent again for another moment, watching the players below. "What of Kibaou-san, Kirito?" Agil questioned as he watched said player below.

Kirito hummed in thought. "Do you think he'll become a major problem in the future?"

Agil shrugged. "I couldn't really say, though we both know the potential this game has. Someone like Kibaou-san could become one of the first. We should keep an eye on him."

Kirito nodded. "Agreed. Let us hope that day never comes to pass, through. This game has enough death as it is."

The two men stood in silence for some time after that. Just observing the players around them. Tomorrow would mark the first step forward in weeks. Hopefully it wouldn't result in several steps backwards...

* * *

 **Later That Night**

Kirito was walking through the small village, mentally preparing himself for the boss fight and second guessing his partying with Asuna. _I don't know why I asked her to party with me. I should have sent her home, honestly._ Kirito shook his head at that notion.

Who was he to make decisions for others? Plus, there was no guarantee she would even listen. _But, what if something happens to her because of me? I can't let anyone die in this fight!_ Kirito thought with conviction.

He opened his map and found Asuna's way-point. She was just on the other side of a nearby building. Kirito closed the map and made his way over. He saw her sitting alone, eating bread.

"Those are pretty good, aren't they? Mind if I sit down?" He questioned her as he gestured to the spot next to her on the knee high stone wall.

She looked up in surprise. Though he still couldn't see her face, he could perceive her mood by body language. "You really think these taste good?" She asked incredulously. It was just a piece of bread, nothing more nothing less. Unless you counted the fact that it wasn't even real bread. That made it even worse.

Kirito smiled at her disbelief and sat down. Asuna scooted away a bit causing Kirito's smile to dim a bit, but he pushed her action from his mind as he answered her. "Uh-huh. Since I came to this town, I end up eating at least one a day. Of course, I got a trick to make it taste better."

She turned to him slightly. "What trick?"

Kirito opened his inventory and a small jar appeared between them. "Try some of that." He said as he spread some of the cream over his bread. He pulled his face mask down and took a bite, careful to keep his face hidden behind his hood..

Asuna did the same and recoiled in surprise. "Cream?" She questioned in wonder.

Kirito nodded. "I got it from 'The Heifer Strikes Back.' That's the quest in the village before you get to this one. You want to know how I did it?"

Asuna shook her head. "Uh-uh. I appreciate the offer, but I didn't come to this town to eat good food."

Kirito gave her a questioning look. Even with his face mask down she couldn't see his face behind his hood so he spoke up. "Okay. Why are you here?"

Asuna looked down at her hands and spoke after a long moment. "So I don't lose sight of who I am. I don't want to lock myself in a room in the Town of Beginnings and slowly rot away. I'd rather stay the way I am till the last moment. Even if a monster beats me and I die, I won't lose to this game or this world, no matter what."

Kirito nodded and made a bold move. He scooted a little closer and gently grabbed her hand, she didn't try to pull away. _Her hands are soft, like her voice._ Thought Kirito, forgetting for a moment that their bodies were just programs. "I won't let a party member die. We'll make it through this, I promise." He squeezed her hand slightly and made to release it as he got up.

Before he could let go Asuna tightened her grip on his hand causing him to pause and sit back down. She scooted a little closer but not enough for them to be touching. "Thank you, Kirito-kun." She said softly, her voice full of emotion.

Kirito just gave her hand another squeeze in response.

* * *

 **The Next Day  
** **Raid Group En-route To Illfang**

 _When I first assessed my situation, I figured that going it mostly alone would yield the best results. In real life I was alone most of the time, despite being surrounded by people. Something always felt like it was missing, like I couldn't connect with those around me... I always thought that it was the death of my grandfather that made me feel that way._

 _When Agil showed up I was surprised at how glad I felt. How glad I was to be walking through this hell with a friend by my side; Someone I knew I could trust even if we only knew each other from another game. It really made me reconsider the cause of my loneliness._

 _And now, this last day spent with Asuna has shown me that what I was really missing, was the presence of another. Of someone that I could connect to. Maybe when Illfang is defeated she would travel with Agil and I full time… it would be dangerous and selfish of me to put her in such danger. But, can I really do this with Agil alone? I_ know _that I can beat this game, I have a responsibility to, but does that really mean I need to push people away?_

Kirito broke from his reverie when he noticed that they were getting close to the boss room. He turned to Asuna and got her attention with a light tap on the shoulder. "Let's go over it again. We're the backup. So, our target's gonna be the boss's minions, the Ruin Kobold Sentinels."

Asuna nodded. "I know." She said a bit forcefully.

Kirito smiled, she had come out of her shy shell a bit over the last day. _She, like myself, was lacking confidence that we could win, and more importantly a friend._ "I'll knock their weapons up and out of the way. When I do, switch and jump in."

Asuna turned to look at him in a questioning manner. Kirito thanked his insane ability to read almost any body language. Asuna was about to voice her question but Kirito beat her to it.

"I'm assuming you're going to ask about a switch?" At her surprised nod he continued and explained the idea behind the switch. They fell silent for several more minutes until Asuna spoke up again. "How do you do that?" She questioned.

"Hmm, do what?"

"Know what I'm going to ask before I voice it, or know how I'm going to move before I do so?" Asuna pouted cutely, not that Kirito could see it.

Kirito smiled and chuckled a bit. "I'll show you how I can predict the movements of those around me, but I have to ask that you keep it a secret. As for knowing what you're going to ask… well I'm just good at reading people I guess."

Asuna nodded and Kirito opened his skill menu as they continued to walk. He quickly scrolled down to his perception skill and showed her. Asuna's eyes widened and she gasped lightly. Kirito blushed a little, her sense of awe made him embarrassed.

 _Level 525 perception skill!_ Thought Asuna in shock. _How is that even possible this early in the game?! Mine is only at 210! He must be some kind of genius in real life, that's the only way that skill could be so high already._

"Kirito, are you some kind of genius?" She asked quietly.

Kirito closed his menu and turned away slightly. "Come on were almost there." He said, ignoring her question for now. _If she wants to stay after Illfang is defeated I can tell her some of my secrets. To do otherwise would be dangerous for the both of us._

Asuna looked down slightly at Kirito's lack of response. She had thought they were building a form of trust between them. _I guess I was mistaken… or maybe I brought up a bad subject._ Asuna hoped it was the latter. She felt like she could trust Kirito despite not even having seen his face. _Though he hasn't seen mine either. I'll definitely show him after the boss fight._

Asuna looked up to see that the raid group had halted in front of some large doors. Diavel moved forward to speak. "Listen up, everyone. I've only got one thing to say to you. Let's win! Come on!"

They pushed the doors open and rushed inside. Diavel immediately began calling orders to the groups. Asuna watched in awe as Kirito engaged the first Sentinel. She'd been fully prepared to switch in but Kirito rendered the Sentinel into thousands of polygons with two quick strikes. Not even bothering with a «Sword Skill».

"Asuna! The Sentinels are much weaker than we thought. Watch my back and I'll watch yours. Okay?" Kirito yelled out as he rendered another Sentinel to dust.

Asuna nodded and jumped in, back to back with Kirito. "Hia, Kirito!"

The other raiders watched in awe as the duo tore their way through Illfang's minions. They were broken from their shock by Diavel. "Don't just stand there gawking! Attack the damn boss. Go, now!"

With a war-cry, the assembled parties moved in and began to steadily chip away at the boss's health. Every time one of the Sentinels would get close to the attacking group Asuna and Kirito would intercept it with lethal precision.

To the duo the fight began to feel more like a dance as they moved around each other with a fluidity that should not have existed between two players who had just met. The battle went on for a while until only two Sentinels remained.

Kirito used a «Sword Skill» to knock one of the higher level Sentinels back and took a knee. Asuna rolled over Kirito's back to deliver a piercing blow to the mob's chest. Kirito recovered in time to grab Asuna around the waist, pulling her back to avoid a strike from the left. They spun around, her back pressed to his chest, and his left arm wrapped around her waist.

Kirito lashed out with his sword, killing the final Sentinel. They were both breathing a little heavily at this point. Kirito looked down to see that he still had his hand around Asuna's waist. She looked up and for the first time black met hazel as their eyes connected.

It only lasted a fleeting moment as Diavel yelled that the boss was changing weapons and he would take it from here. Kirito's eyes widened as he saw the boss's weapon. It wasn't a Talwar, it was a large Nodachi! Even more surprising was the slight regeneration of the boss's health.

"Wait! Stop! The info was wrong!" Kirito yelled.

Diavel just smirked at Kirito. _He thinks I'm trying to stop him from getting the final strike! Idiot!_ Thought Kirito as he released Asuna from his grasp and ran at Diavel as fast as he could.

Even with his speed, before he even got close Illfang lashed out and struck Diavel with an uppercut. Kirito's eyes widened as the boss went in for another strike. The strike connected and Diavel landed harshly on the floor. Kirito appeared by his side and tried to give him a healing potion. Diavel stopped him shakily.

"You know what I was doing. I recognized you the moment I saw you at the meeting. Kirito, the strongest of the betas, The Black Swordsman. Please... you have to... defeat the boss... for everyone here!" Diavel choked out before bursting into polygons.

Kirito stared lifelessly at the space Diavel once occupied. This was the third person to die in front of him. The second to die in his arms. His mind was racing.

 _When this death game started, I was blinded by my responsibility in helping create this game. My responsibility to kill Kayaba. Nothing else mattered. I left the other betas to do something that I should have done myself._

 _But you weren't like that, Diavel. You never abandoned the other players. You brought them together. You led everyone, and you fought brilliantly. You tried to accomplish something I couldn't._

 _I think I can now though…_ Kirito closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath. The sound of fighting returned to his ears and he opened his eyes. He looked at Asuna and over to Agil. _I have something to fight for other than myself._

Asuna's eyes widened as Illfang prepared to strike Kirito from behind. "KIRITO!" She screamed.

Kirito turned just in time to avoid the boss's strike, rolling out of the way. He used a «Sword Skill» to knock Illfang's weapon away, leaving the boss open. It was rare for him to use sword skills but this fight called for raw power. Asuna moved immediately, the command to switch not necessary.

She delivered three devastating strikes with a «Sword Skill». She landed in front of the boss and he recovered faster than her. It was Kirito's turn to call out as the boss went in for the kill. "ASUNA!" He yelled as he closed the gap between them.

At the last second Asuna dodged but her cloak wasn't so lucky. It was ripped off by Illfang's sword. Kirito appeared in front of Asuna just in time to block the boss's second strike, a horizontal slash. The impact sent both of them sprawling to the floor and Kirito's health fell into the yellow.

Asuna quickly pulled out a healing potion and leaned over Kirito to help him drink it. He looked into her eyes and could only think one thing. "Beautiful..." He said with slight awe, completely caught in the moment. Asuna's face flushed red and was about to say something but stopped as Kirito's eyes widened.

She spun around to see Illfang coming in for another attack. _So this is it this is where I die._ She thought. _I barely even got to know you Kirito-kun._ Kirito grasped her hand tightly. "I'm sorry Asuna."

They both closed their eyes and awaited the inevitable strike. A strike that never came as Agil jumped in to deliver a strong whirlwind strike, knocking the boss back. "Get up quickly you two! We have to finish this!" Agil yelled. It was unlike Kirito to become unfocused in a fight but he'd just had a man die in his arms so it was understandable.

Kirito snapped back into fight mode and met Asuna's eyes. "Help me defeat the boss?" He asked. Asuna nodded, it was a questioned that didn't even need to be asked. "Hia! Let's go!"

Kirito dashed forward, using a «Vertical» to knock Illfang's sword up. Once again utilizing the raw power of the game's sword skills. Asuna capitalized on the opening to deliver a lightning fast 3-hit combo. Kirito blocked Illfang's next strike meant for Asuna and delivered a brutal array of strikes in turn.

He finished with a yell, bringing his sword down on Illfang's head. Kirito's sword carved the boss straight down the middle and reduced the monster to millions of tiny polygons. He landed on the floor in a crouch and slowly stood up. He turned around and everyone began to cheer.

Asuna ran forward and hugged him tightly much to his surprise. "Thank you, Kirito." She whispered up into his ear. Kirito blushed slightly and smiled. _Holding Asuna in my arms is nice. Hopefully she hugs me more in the future._ Kirito thought as he enjoyed the girls warm embrace. It was a weird emotion for him having always pushed women away.

"Stop cheering! Why'd you do it, huh? Why'd you let Diavel die?!" Came Kibaou's voice over the cheers as he pushed his way to the front of the group.

Kirito released Asuna and looked up to meet Kibaou's eyes. "Let him die?" Kirito clarified, his voice barely above a whisper.

"That's what I said. Admit it! You knew the technique the boss was gonna use. You could've told us! Then Diavel would've stood a chance… He wouldn't have to die!" Kibaou yelled again, pointing his finger at Kirito in rage.

"I know why he knew! He used to be a beta-tester! Think about it! He knew the boss's attack patterns! He knew, but he kept it from us! And I bet he's not the only beta-tester here! Come on, show yourselves!" Yelled another raid member, obviously a supporter of Kibaou..

 _Even after all the help provided by the betas in the beginning there is still so much hatred. At this rate..._ Kirito glanced at Asuna and smiled sadly. _Forgive me Asuna-san. I wanted to travel more with you, but now… after this you'll probably hate me too..._

"Hey! Calm down!" Yelled Agil. Trying to defuse the situation. He paused when Kirito began to laugh. The laugh was cold and hollow. He knew this laugh, having heard it during Elder Tale when they used team-speak. Kirito was scary when he got angry. This was a bit different though. It felt darker than ever before.

"So, you guys think I used to be a beta-tester, ne?" Kirito laughed again. "I'm much more than that. The beta's know nothing compared to _me_ , _they_ might as well be noobs… Don't compare me to them."

Kibaou was taken back by that. "W-What'd you say?!"

Kirito laughed and gave a smug smirk and, though his mouth was covered by his mask, the smirk was visible through his eyes. _I must look like an asshole. If you don't hate me yet Asuna, you will._ "You heard me. Most of the thousand people who scored a slot in SAO's beta were rookies. They were so green, they didn't even know how to level up. Hell, even you guys are better than they were. But me, I'm nothing like _them_. You see, It wasn't luck or money that got me a spot in the beta. I was invited personally by Akihiko Kayaba himself." Kirito held his arms out wide with a flourish.

A gasp went around the room and some players took an unconscious step back. Asuna's eyes widened in surprise. _Kirito, who are you?_ Her thoughts were voiced unknowingly by Kibaou.

"What?! Who are you to get a personal invite from that bastard!"

Kirito smirked and grabbed his cloak, ripping it off his body. The black cloak went fluttering to the ground, pooling behind him. A few in the crowd gasped in shock once again. They recognized Kirito from real life despite the mask he still wore. He was unmistakably Kirigaya Kazuto. It explained why The Black Swordsman was so good. Murmurs broke out among the crowd as those who recognized Kirito explained who he was.

"You see, during the beta, I made it to floors that were higher than any of the other testers. That's a fact. I knew about the boss, 'cause I fought tons of monsters with way more «Sword Skills» on higher floors! I know a bunch of other things, too. More than you can imagine. More than any info broker.

"But, above all, I'm a master swordsman in real life. I gave Kayaba valuable insight into swordplay that he used to create this game. It was only when the game was finally released that I saw what he had created. It was a masterpiece and I looked up to Kayaba as a mentor, as a friend. He gave me purpose during a dark time in my life. And now… now he's betrayed us all. **He's betrayed me!**

"You can hate me all you want, it hardly compares to the burden I already carry. I take Kayaba's actions as a personal insult and betrayal, therefore it is my job to clean up his mess. Kayaba will die by my hand. Those of you that can accept that, I welcome you to join me on the front lines. The rest of you…"

Kirito's head dropped slightly, his bangs shadowing his eyes. "Stay the fuck out of my way."

He wanted to tell them the full truth, that he had programmed for the game as well. That he had been an admin during the beta test and knew far more than any of them could imagine. But that may have been pushing it too far. Many players would be out for his head if they knew that. He would already have a target on his back simply for knowing Kayaba personally.

Kirito opened his inventory to look at the items he received for the final blow. The crowd before him was stunned into silence at what they learned. The boy, no, man in front of them had given Kayaba advice concerning the game's combat system? He had known Kayaba personally? Most didn't know what to think, but they would rather be on the side of Kirigaya Kazuto, than not.

Kirito's eyes widened, he had received armor _and_ a weapon. «The Coat of Midnight» was black trench coat with white trimmings. It had a v-neck undershirt and black metal plating on the chest, arms and legs. Kirito equipped the coat and was surprised by how light it was, despite the metal plating. Looks like he'd be leveling the light armor skill for sure now.

Next was the weapon. Kirito couldn't hold back his smirk as he looked at the blade that had dropped. «Deathsinger», a unique Katana. The blade was completely black and seemed to absorb all light. It curved only slightly and was about three and a half feet in length. The guard was in the shape of a manji and the hilt was wrapped in black with blood red peeking through the gaps in the fabric. (AN: Tensa Zangetsu) It's abilities were amazing as well. Bonuses to agility and strength, no weapon degradation, and most importantly a special upgrade ability.

It was unlike anything Kirito had ever heard of from the beta or Kayaba himself. He re-read the description one more time just to make sure he wasn't mistaken. ' _Deathsinger had a unique ability, Soul Drain. For every npc killed this blade gains 10 exp multiplied by the npc's combat level. For every user killed this blade gains 100 exp multiplied by the user's combat level. This weapon has no level cap.'_

Despite reading the description again Kirito was still shocked by the attributes of his weapon. _This katana… Deathsinger. It'll see me to the end of the game with ease. The fact that it levels itself by kills alone and has no level cap is amazing! There's no way this sword should have dropped here. What are you playing at Kayaba?!_

Kirito equipped the blade and it appeared diagonally on his back, the handle over his right shoulder. Kirito picked up his cloak and put it back on, leaving the hood down so that the blade could stick out. He looked like the epitome of power and control to the still stunned crowd.

Turning away from them, Kirito began walking towards the exit. "Agil…" He called out. "We're leaving." Agil nodded and followed behind his leader, not giving the other players a second glance. Kirito couldn't bring himself to look back at Asuna as he ascended the stairs. He didn't want to see the look of hate and rejection he _knew_ he would find on her face. As he was about to reach the top of the steps he heard someone running up behind him.

Kirito spun around with his hand on his sword only to be knocked back slightly by Asuna's embrace. "Don't leave me Kirito. I'm coming with you!"

Kirito stood there motionless for a second, his arms falling limp to his sides. "Asuna…" He exclaimed in confusion.

Asuna looked up and gave him a smile. "It's okay, you don't have to say anything. I know what I'm getting myself into. Lets go, Kirito."

Kirito looked at her wide eyed for a second before giving a small chuckle and a bit of a true smile, a rare thing for him. "Come on, let's go."

Kirito grabbed her hand and went to leave, Agil following close behind. Before he walked through the door, he looked over the rest of the crowd. Most looked like they were trying to decide on a course of action, only a few gave him a hateful glare. That was fine with him.

The trio of players walked through the boss room door. Leaving a severely conflicted group behind them.

* * *

 **Moments Later  
** **Aincrad Floor 2**

As the trio made their way out into the open expanse of floor two, Kirito stopped abruptly and turned to face Asuna and Agil. He pulled his face mask down so they could see his face fully. It was more for Asuna's benefit than Agil's, though.

Asuna blushed lightly at the sight of his face. He had the looks of what many referred to as a pretty boy. She wasn't complaining, though, far from it actually. _He's so handsome!_ Asuna thought with a dreamy inward sigh. On the outside she tried to keep her face as neutral as possible. She wasn't one to openly fall all over the opposite sex. She always had held a reputation as the aloof girl in school.

Kirito's expression was serious and a little sad. Agil had an idea where this was going and stayed quiet as the Black Swordsman began to speak. "Asuna…" He began softly.

She gave him a questioning look. He sighed heavily and continued. "What I told them in there, it wasn't the whole truth." Kirito pause to gauge her reaction, if she was surprised she hid it well. "You see, I did more than just advise Kayaba on the combat system for SAO. I helped design and code it. I worked on more than just that actually. So much of my own work went into this game."

Asuna _was_ visibly surprised now. She looked to Agil, expecting a similar state of shock from him. Said man was calm as calm could be. He nodded at her, as if to confirm Kirito's revelation. _So he already knew…_ She reasoned soundly.

"That's not all, though." Kirito said, drawing her attention back to him. He frowned and looked at the sun rising over the horizon. "I was more than just an employee of Kayaba's. I've known him for years. He was one of the only people I could consider a friend and… even somewhat a father figure to me." Kirito explained sadly.

Agil was surprised now as well. He knew that Kirito and Kayaba had been close before the SAO incident. But, to have seen the man as a surrogate father figure… Agil couldn't imagine how he would feel if his own father did something like Kayaba had done. And, to make matters worse, the man had involved Kirito in his 'game'.

Asuna was having similar thoughts. She loved her father and for him to do something like Kayaba had done was unthinkable. She didn't know what she would do in that situation. That thought made her realize how much worse this whole thing was for Kirito.

Kirito turned back to them, his eyes full of sadness but not broken. "So you see. I'm somewhat responsible for this mess. I didn't know of his ultimate plan, but I still helped that bastard create this game. I helped him realize his vision. And now, now it's my responsibility to put an end to it." He sighed and met Asuna's gaze. "Now you know the whole truth. I wont blame you if you decide to leave. I would certainly leave me. Hell, I don't know why Agil is so willing to follow me." Kirito explained dejectedly.

Agil was about to open his mouth to defend his actions when Asuna surprised them both. She took several angry steps forward and slapped Kirito across the face… hard. He brought his hand to his cheek and looked at her with wide eyes. That… was not the response he'd expected...

She glared at him angrily. "I may have only known you for a short time Kirito, but I like to think I'm a good judge of character. Agil follows you because you're a good person who has set out to do what's right. If anyone can clear this game I believe that it's you. The fact that you helped create it only supports that claim." She explained seriously.

Agil stepped forward and put his two cents in. "Asuna-san is right Kirito. We've known each other for years. I told you that I would follow you to the end of this game because I believe that you'll be the one to end it. You'll save all of us and we're going to help you do it." He finished with a smile.

Kirito was taken back by those words. Never had someone, two someones no less, stood behind him so resolutely. Sure, the Debauchery Tea Party respected him but that was a game. This… this was far more than just a game now. These two were placing their live in his hands.

Kirito's expression became grateful as well as thoughtful. "Thank you, both of you. I promise that we'll clear this game. I have a plan. Until now it was just an idea, a long shot at best. But you made me realize that I can make it a reality. I'll tell you more later, let's get going."

Kirito started walking followed by Asuna and Agil, though they held back a bit. Asuna turned to Agil and frowned. "You said that you've known Kirito for a long time. Do you know him outside SAO, Agil-san?"

Agil shook his head. "No, Kirito and I know each other from another game. Would you like to hear about it?" He questioned. He could tell that Asuna was interested in Kirito. She liked him and he liked her, though it would be a long time before anything came of it. Agil knew enough about Kirito to know how he was with women… well, people in general really.

Asuna nodded and Agil smiled. "We met two years ago on an MMO called Elder Tale. Have you heard of it?" Asuna nodded again and Agil continued. "Then you know that it's the largest MMO out there, over a million players worldwide."

Asuna was surprised by the number. She knew that game was popular but she had no idea how much. Her brother was the one that was into video games, not her. _Until now at least._ She thought bitterly before returning her attention to Agil's story.

"You see, of those million players, less than one percent were considered elite players. Players whose names were spoken with reverence and fear. They were the best of the best. But, even above them, was another group. A group known as the Debauchery Tea Party." Agil explained, painting an interesting picture.

"They were a guild then? How many players were in it?" Asuna questioned.

Agil smirked. "No, not a guild. That's what made the Debauchery Tea Party so special. Twenty-nine elite players that came together to do raids and explore everything the game had to offer. They were considered the very best players the world over. Clearing raids faster than the large combat guilds. Exploring places that only a handful of players had been." Agil paused and looked at his leader's back as he walked ahead of them.

"Kirito helped found that group." He stated. Asuna's eyes widened in surprise. She knew from her short time playing SAO and from things her brother had said, how much of an accomplishment that really was. Agil gave voice to her thoughts. "Kirito was more well known than any player in Elder Tale, despite his young age at the time. He was like royalty in that game and still is. Even here in SAO I've heard whispers among the beta's that he's the same Kirito from Elder Tale."

Asuna was floored by what she was hearing. The young man in front of her had that much of a reputation? That was incredible! "So you were part of the Tea Party as well Agil-san? And Kirito it's leader?"

Agil nodded. "Yeah, I was the Party's merchant. I was the richest man in all of Elder Tale, probably still am actually. As for Kirito, we tried to make him the leader but he nominated the co-founder to be leader. A woman named Kanami." He explained.

Asuna was confused by that. "Why would he want someone else to lead?"

Agil chuckled lightly. It was an expected reaction that most people had when he told the story of the Tea Party. "The others figure it was because he was working on SAO, though we didn't know that's what he was doing at the time. He just said it was an important project. But, I don't think that was the real reason…" He trailed off, seemingly unsure.

Asuna frowned as well. "Then what was, Agil-san?"

Agil shook his head. "You'll have to figure it out on your own. Eventually, he'll tell you, and then you can decide for yourself. It's really not my place to say. I will tell you that it's the main reason why I know he'll do whatever it takes to clear this game." Agil told her seriously.

Asuna nodded. Everyone had their secrets after all. But, now she was more curious than ever. She decided to focus on something else to keep her mind off of the mystery. "What happened to the Party then?"

Agil frowned. "We all went our separate ways a few months before SAO launched. Some of us got new jobs in real life, others joined official guilds, Kirito left to beta SAO, and so on. And, as far as we know, we're the only two trapped in SAO. The others would have sought Kirito out by now if they were here." Agil reasoned.

Asuna frowned as they continued to walk. She had a lot of thoughts running through her head, all centered around Kirito. He was an enigma to her. He seemed so strong at times yet so unsure at others. Like he believed people should stay away from him yet had no problem leading should the situation call for it. She couldn't wrap her head around him but she was determined to try. She wanted to know more about him. She wondered if he wanted to know more about her?

"Agil-san?" Asuna voiced, breaking the silence.

"Mmm? What is it?" He responded, eyeing her out of the corner of his eye.

Asuna paused for a moment, trying to find her words. "Could you um… tell me more about Kirito? The person and the player..."

Agil hid his smirk as he responded. Kirito always did attract interest from the ladies. Not unlike another player they both knew from Elder Tale. "What more do you want to know?"

Asuna hummed in thought. "You said he was the most famous player in Elder Tale. I wanted to know why. What made him so famous?"

Agil chuckled, drawing a confused look from Asuna. "Well, originally in Elder Tale, each player chose a race, main class and subclass. Only the subclass could be changed and it came with the price of losing all experience in that class. The game was that way for a long time. However, about three years ago, a year before the Debauchery Tea Party was founded, the game had a revolutionary update."

Asuna gave Agil a curious look. It wasn't odd for MMO's to have major updates, even she knew that. But Agil spoke of the update like it changed the very essence of the game.

"The update changed Elder Tale fundamentally. Players could access certain skills cross class. Like a swordsman using magic or a mage being proficient in daggers for close range fighting. One could also level up any subclass they chose without losing the experience should they change subclass. Most chose not to bother with the cross class skills due to the extreme difficulty in leveling them." Agil paused and smirked. "Remember the less than one percent I spoke of?"

Asuna nodded and Agil continued. "They were the players who reached level ninety and as well as specializing in at least one type of cross class skill. But Kirito, he was the first." Asuna's eyes widened at that. "He got something special out of it as well. The creators of the game gave him a gift."

"What was it Agil-san?"

Agil smirked. "He was given the ability to exceed the level 90 cap and reach level 100. He was the most powerful player in the game before he quit to beta SAO. The funny thing was that he actually tried to turn down the gift, claimed it wasn't fair for the other players." Agil finished with a chuckle.

Asuna wasn't really surprised by that revelation. In the very short time she had known him, she could tell that Kirito was a very honorable person. Hearing that only confirmed her analysis of his character.

"What kind of skills did he play with Agil-san?" Asuna asked a moment later.

"His main class was a Samurai, but he was fully leveled in cross class magic and assassin skills. I'm sure that the lack of magic in SAO was a bit of a downer for Kirito. I can only imagine how powerful he would be if he could use a blade _and_ magic here. Damn was he a master at it in Elder Tale when he chose to use both. Add to the fact that he's better with an actual sword in his hand than a mouse anyways." Agil explained with a wistful look on his face.

Asuna nodded dumbly. She had only seen Kirito fight against the sentinels and Illfang, but what she saw amazed her. While her strikes and movements had been assisted by the game and a bit of natural talent, Kirito's had been flawless and precise. The movements of a master swordsman, as he claimed in the boss room.

Asuna figured that, had he not been trying to protect Diavel and herself, he could have soloed Illfang at the end of the fight. To add the possibility of magic combat on top of that was amazing. She could barely imagine how powerful he could become in this world if that were the case. Sadly there was no magical combat here. But that wouldn't stop Kirito from being amazing, she was sure of that.

"Kirito must be some kind of genius then, right?" Asuna questioned, secretly fishing for an answer to the same question she'd asked Kirito before the boss fight.

Agil looked at her and laughed. Asuna glared at him and he quieted down. "Haha, sorry about that. It's just amusing to hear that again. Kirito is probably the smartest person I've ever met with the exception of Shiroe. Though I think Kirito has Shiroe beat, especially now."

"Shiroe?" Asuna questioned.

Agil nodded. "The Tea Party's strategist. But that's a story for another time. Kirito has a genius level IQ. He once told us that the reason he could play so much was because he didn't need to go to school unless he wanted to. He apparently tested out of high school at the age of thirteen."

For Asuna that was the most surprising thing she heard all day. It was the one thing she could most relate to, being in high school herself. She couldn't imagine being smart enough to test out of high school at that age. It was amazing, one more thing that set Kirito apart from the rest of the population.

 _Just who are you, Kirito-kun?_ Asuna thought with a light blush. "What about you Agil-san?" She questioned as they finally entered the first town on floor 2.

Agil smiled kindly. "Call me Agil. My life hasn't been as interesting as Kirito's, until now that is. But, I don't mind sharing none-the-less." He told her as he launched into details about his personal life.

Kirito smiled as he continues to walk ahead of them. He was glad Agil and Asuna were getting along so well. Neither realized it yet, but they would be partied together for a _long_ time. This fight was only just beginning.

* * *

 **And Cut! That was a pretty long chapter, 12k words. Most will be ten and under for your benefit as well as mine!**

 **Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter. As I'll do throughout this story, I tried my best to follow the cannon story line because I really like it. I do deviate in couple chapters but major events will still happen for the most part. If anyone is worried about that, PM me and we can talk about it. I'm always open to ideas so long as they fall mostly in line with what I've already written. "Cough, 100K+ words, Cough"**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading. As stated at the beginning, feel free to review or PM me with questions. Or if you'd like to beta test my next chapter. It any be a while until my next post. I think I'm gonna beef up the next chapter with 2-3k more words as well as edit it, it feels kinda rushed.**

 **So until next time, SNEAKYD out!**


	3. CH3: Dark Times Begin

**SNEAKYD here once again with the next chapter of my story. Sorry it took so long to get this out. I was going to post it last Friday but decided to add more content. Then I got busy with school and work. Before I know it another week has gone by. They say time flies when your having fun but I think time just flies because this week sucked ass. But, enough about my life, enjoy the next chapter.**

 **I own nothing!**

* * *

 **January 10, 2023  
** **Aincrad Floor 12  
** **Haunted Wood**

Kirito sheathed «Deathsinger» expertly as the last ghoul like monster burst into polygons. It was _very_ early in the morning and Kirito was doing some extra leveling for the sake of his small party. They didn't necessarily _need_ him to do so, but he felt it was the right call to make. He would do anything to keep his friends safe and, in this world, the stronger one is the safer one is.

The extra training really only benefited Agil, actually. The older player was doing very well in his business as a merchant. Not that Kirito expected anything less from the richest man in Elder Tale. It was much harder to make money in SAO, but Agil was still making them thousands of cor a day. This also meant he had less and less time to train as he expanded his rapidly growing business. Kirito was basically leveling for the both of them, not that he minded it.

Asuna was doing well also, fantastic really. She trained more than anyone save for Kirito himself; training from sun up to sun down six or seven days a week. Kirito only trained more because his need for sleep was much less than her own. Some would call their lifestyle unhealthy and borderline obsessive, but they had nothing else.

Kirito would never forget Asuna's words. The ones she spoke the first night he'd really talked with her. She would rather die trying to win then hold herself up in a room in the Town of Beginning, waiting for this to be over. Her drive was to survive and fight to not lose herself.

Kirito felt a similar drive but not one of personal preservation. At the beginning, his drive had been wholly selfish in nature. One could say the same about Asuna's drive as well, but she was at least working towards a common goal with the rest of the players trapped in SAO. They just wanted freedom from this hell.

 _His_ original motive had been _much_ less noble. The death of Kayaba was all he considered. Leave the other betas to tend to the masses while he rose in rank to challenge the man who had betrayed him. That had been his thought processes at the beginning. Diavel's death changed him though.

His ultimate goal hadn't changed but it had taken a third seat to some things more important. First was the lives of his friends, they would always come before his own. He'd lived most of his life without true tangible friendship; by choice or no it was still a fact. A fact that would see him do anything for those he allowed to get close to him in this world.

Second came his desire to free those trapped in SAO. The desire had always been present in his mind but had been set aside to make way for his quest of vengeance. That vengeance still lingered though. Like a person's temper it may only take the right thing to unleash it. It was a new aspect of himself that Kirito was learning to deal with slowly. But, he knew that he would never put it to rest until Kayaba lay dead at his feet. That day would come but in the meantime he preferred to focus on Asuna.

He had grown a lot closer to his pretty female companion over the last couple months. He was training her how to really fight with a sword instead of relying on the game's combat assist program. A program that he had written much of. Kirito knew better than anyone that the program was no substitute for real skill and experience. Something that would be sorely needed if they wanted to make it out of this word alive.

Aside from his training of her, Asuna and him spent almost every moment together during the day. Kirito had really grown to like her, much more than he should if he was honest with himself. He had always avoided emotional attachments like the plague. It was part of the reason he pushed his sister away, though he regretted doing so now.

But Asuna had wormed her way into his heart and he wasn't sure what to do about it. He considered speaking to Agil on the matter but quickly shot the idea down. He had too many things to worry about right now to think about pursuing any kind of relationship with Asuna. No matter how much he liked the idea.

He had plans for the future of Aincrad. Plans that he hoped would save many lives before the game was cleared. Even now things were falling into place. Several guilds had been formed on the front lines already. The most prominent being: Klein's guild Fuurinkazan, The Aincrad Liberation Army and The Divine Dragon Alliance. The latter two's leaders were up for debate at the moment.

Despite these guilds forming, one thing stayed constant on the front lines. They all followed Kirito without question. He never asked them to follow him, but he became the de-facto leader of what had been dubbed the Clearing Force by the rest of the SAO population, anyway.

Their reasons for listening to and following him were varied. Some followed him because they knew of him from Elder Tale, though that was a _very_ small group. Others because they heard he knew Kayaba personally and gave the man insight into creating SAO. It put Kirito in an interesting position as the one player who had _real_ knowledge concerning the game and the man who created it.

It actually surprised Kirito how few people actually knew of his relationship to Kayaba. The players he told during the first boss fight had been surprisingly tight lipped about the whole thing. Even Kibaou hadn't said a word, much to Kirito's surprise. It would probably be a different story if they knew he'd actually written code for the game and worked directly with the most hated man in all of Aincrad...

Anyway, most followed simply because he was the strongest and most experienced player. Not to mention a good leader who was getting better every day. People looked up to him for reasons he had yet to gleam.

Honestly, Kirito didn't care why they followed him and sometimes he wished they wouldn't. Things had been going well on the front lines, but they still lost too many good people. Kirito felt that each of their deaths fell upon his shoulders. It was getting tiresome very quickly, but he would stay strong. He had too for their sake.

Kirito was pulled from his thoughts as he sensed six players converging around him in the dark woods. His eyes narrowed slightly as he came to a stop at the center of a small clearing. The moon was high in the sky and illuminated the ground around him with pale, ominous light.

His black cloak fluttered softly as a small breeze made it's way through the clearing. His shadow, cast by the mood, extend seamlessly from his black clad body. It made him look as though he were a wraith rather than a mere human. Though, one could argue that he was no mere human.

The six figures emerged from the woods slowly and encircled him within a twenty foot radius. It was very troubling to see such a group out so late on a floor so close to the front lines. They were no Clearers, of that Kirito was certain. He looked on calmly as the man that he assumed to be the leader stepped forward.

He spoke in a gruff, slightly crazed voice. It was the voice of a man who was beginning to lose touch with reality. "Look what we have here boys! This one's out here all alone in the dark… let's kill him and take his stuff. Whaddaya' say?" The man laughed out. His men cheered in agreement.

The leader was about to move again when Kirito began to laugh. It was that same cold, detached laugh that he used way back on floor one. He was wholly unimpressed by the men surrounding him. Their levels were impressive for players outside the Clearing Force and would no doubt spell trouble for most members of the newly formed elite group. But, Kirito was on a completely different level than that of the other Clearers. The Clearers didn't follow him for nothing…

"What the hell are you laughing at, bastard! You're about to be erased from this game!" The leader cried out in anger as he pointed his broadsword at Kirito's head. How dare this lowly player taunt him! He and his men were nearly on the level of the Clearing Force! They were not to be taken lightly damn it!

Kirito stopped laughing abruptly and raised his head slightly. His stone cold black eyes met the leader's, freezing the man in place. Kirito looked like death incarnate with his cloak and mask. All he was missing was the iconic scythe perpetuated by western culture to complete the look. Though Deathsinger served the purpose all the same, maybe even a little better.

Kirito's mindset had shifted to a dangerous place as he stared the foolish man down; One that he wasn't to keen on familiarizing himself with once again. But, no matter how he tried, he would never bury that part of him. The part that was born _that_ day… "I hoped beyond hope that this day would never come. That none of the ten thousand souls trapped in this game would succumb to murder and theft to survive."

Kirito sighed as she slowly drew «Deathsinger» from its sheath on his back. The blade seemed to sing out as it was drawn, the noise echoing through the clearing and beyond. The song it sung was one of sorrow and seemed to cut through the very souls of the six men surrounding him. It sent shivers down their spines and caused that uncontrollable instinct of fear to creep up inside them.

Kirito ran his left hand down the magnificent blade slowly, admiring it's lethal beauty as it reflected the moonlight. His posture shifted slightly as he lowered the magnificent weapon and locked eyes with the leader once again. "I guess it was just wishful thinking on my part. Tell me… have you ever killed a man?" He questioned, his voice unnervingly calm as he spoke. Like the question was as normal as asking what the man ate for dinner the night before.

The leader smirked despite the nervousness he now felt being in Kirito's presence. "Of course! You think you're special, that you're the first player we've killed?" His words drew a round of laughter out of his men.

Kirito noted that it seemed to lower the tension they were all projecting. He could almost smell their growing fear before. It was an odd sensation to experience in this computer generated world. One he'd have to examine further in the future. Shaking his head sadly at their response and the wanderings of his own mind, Kirito continued. "No… you misunderstand. Death in this world is so easy, so detached. I asked if you've ever ended a life, in the real world? Have you ever had the blood of another staining your hands red?"

The leader tried to stutter out a response but Kirito cut him off. "I thought not. You know nothing of what it means to take a life. To watch the light fade slowly from another's eyes. That, is what separates you and I... You do understand that I cannot let you leave this clearing." Kirito finished seriously as he relaxed his body even more in preparation to deal with the rabble before him.

He hated the idea of having to kill again, but he would not let these men leave this clearing. Their next 'prey' may not be able to fight them off so easily. They also reminded him of his grandfather's murderer, preying on the 'weak' out of greed and a warped sense of survival. A man that he would kill again and again given the chance. These players would only serve to make surviving in this world harder for everyone.

The leader grit his teeth and charged wildly at Kirito. "Don't underestimate us you bastard!"

Kirito watched calmly as the man neared him, he was slow and uncoordinated. _I'll make this quick…_ Kirito thought calmly as he sidestepped the man's first strike. The broadsword sailed by inches from his face but far out of what Kirito considered a concerning proximity. The man's eyes widened as he watched his life end in slow motion. «Deathsinger» came towards his head and it was over in a moment.

The five men still surrounding Kirito watched in shock as he gracefully sidestepped their leader and removed the man's head in one stroke of his blade. The head rolled across the ground and burst into polygons along with the rest of the man's body a second later. The five remaining PKers snapped out of their collective shock and charged at Kirito. The result was a bloodbath, or it would have been if SAO had blood.

The first and second attackers ended up nearly stabbing each other. They came at Kirito from opposing sides wielding crusader type long swords. Both went for thrusting motions, intent on skewering Kirito's head like a shish-ka-bob. Like their leader, their strikes were uncoordinated and sloppy. Kirito rolled out of the way at the last second and the two attacker's blades nicked each other's throats. They stared at each other wide eyed at what almost happened.

While these men may be almost on the level of the Clearing Force they lacked true skill. Those who survived on the front lines had more than just their levels keeping them safe, they had their acquired skill. Almost all of them understood that the combat assist program in the game could not be relied upon in free form combat. It worked well for swords skills and that was about it.

There was a reason for that though; one that the players Kirito locked in combat with Kirito were quickly finding out. Combat assist is just that, an assist. I could never beat a player with natural raw talent let alone a player like Kirito with years of training.

Back to the fight, Kirito capitalized on their brief moment of shock brought on by the two PKer's near friendly fire and spun on his heel. He felt no resistance as «Deathsinger» bisected the two players in one stroke. Their wide eyed expressions remained as they burst into polygons.

The remaining three made the smarter choice and chose to attack one at a time. Not that the outcome would be any different for them. Their levels were slightly higher than the others but nothing too drastic. The next one moved in quickly with an overhead slash. He wielded a large battleaxe. It was a heavy weapon and the man wielded it better than his comrades before him wielded their own weapons.

Unfortunately for him, his skill was only slightly better than that of the combat assist program. It was nowhere near enough to cause Kirito problems but it did surprise him slightly. Perhaps he underestimate this group slightly. _No matter…_ He thought as he parried the man's large battleaxe to the side.

The ax wielder's inexperience showed as his weapon of choice buried itself into the ground to the right of where Kirito was standing. It left him wide open, earning him a deep cut across the chest. The wounded man jumped back with half his HP depleted, dragging his weapon with him.

Kirito let him retreat in favor of blocking a behind the back strike from another of the PKers. He got nicked in the arm slightly as the rapier passed him by closely. Kirito sighed at his carelessness. These men knew nothing of wielding a blade, but that didn't mean he could be complacent. Even the mightiest warrior can be killed by negligence and overconfidence.

But in reality, these men _were_ easy, something that scared him a little as he removed the rapier wielding sword hand. In a mirror action of the killing of his grandfather's murderer, Kirito spun around while reversing «Deathsinger» in his grip. He plunged the blade backwards into the man's chest.

Kirito's eyes widened slightly as the wounded man from before moved in to strike once again. Kirito ripped his blade out of the man he just impaled, causing him to burst into polygons. He rolled under the wounded man's battleaxe and came up behind him. He spun again and bisected the man at the waist like his two friends before him.

The man split in half and burst into polygons, a shocked look on his face. Kirito turned to the last opponent. The man was shaking in his boots. He met the man's eyes and spoke calmly. "Let this be a lesson to any PKers out there. You know now who I am, correct?" Kirito questioned coldly.

The man nodded fearfully, to afraid to speak. Kirito re-sheathed Deathsinger and straightened his cloak. "Good. Run away, far away. Join a guild, hide in the Town of Beginnings, I don't care. But, if I ever see you again, I will kill you." Kirito finished menacingly and the man ran off as quickly as his feet would carry him.

Kirito sighed and turned to look at the clearing he was in, then the moon in the sky. _That's five more lives that I've taken. And it was so easy this time; like breathing or taking a walk. How much blood will be on my hands by the time this is over? When did I truly become a killer?_ He thought sadly before making his way back to town. The sun was beginning to peek through the trees and he had to meet Asuna and Agil. He was probably already late.

The only positive aspect of this situation was Deathsinger gaining three levels. That put his blade at +22, much higher than any other weapon in the game at this point.

Kirito frowned as he caressed the hilt of his Katana. _You'll only grow more powerful in the months to come. You'll take the lives of more players, of this I'm certain. It's begun, and all we can do is fight till the end. May Kami forgive me for the things I may do..._

* * *

 **Twenty Minutes Later  
** **Aincrad Floor 12  
** **Inn**

Agil and Asuna sat at a small table in the corner of the inn. It was out of the way and went unnoticed by most of the players there due to the dim lighting. They had gotten up at their normal time and come down for breakfast as usual. Kirito wasn't in his room when they got up so they figure he was already downstairs.

Since he only needed a couple hours of sleep per night he spent a lot of time out training solo. The experience was shared with them since they were in a party so neither complained about the habit, too much. Though Asuna was always more worried about him out there alone than Agil was.

His sleeping habits also meant that he was often already waiting for them to leave in the morning. And, until today, he had never missed breakfast with them. He was always here on time, something that greatly worried them both.

"Where is he?" Asuna mumbled out for the tenth time, checking the time on her HUD.

Agil sighed and looked out the window with a frown. "I don't know, this isn't like him. But, Kirito _is_ the strongest player in SAO. It's doubtful anything on this floor could give him any trouble. Maybe he found the boss room or something?" He reasoned positively with a forced smile.

Asuna sighed too and looked down at the table. Agil's smiled did nothing to assuage her worry since she could see right through it. "Yeah… I guess your right. I just worry about him so much sometimes."

Agil smiled slightly but genuinely. "He worries about you too, you know." Asuna looked up in slight surprise causing Agil to chuckle. "Don't look so surprised Asuna. Why do you think he trains every night with the party EXP share on? It's certainly not for my benefit alone! Hell, I spend more time as a merchant than in the field nowadays. Eventually he won't be able to level for me anymore if I don't train myself."

Asuna's eyes widened. "He really does that for me? Why?"

Agil shook his head at her ignorance and smirked. "He does it to keep you safe. He figures the higher level you are the less danger you're in, which is true for the most part. He really cares for you Asuna."

Asuna blushed and was about to ask how much Kirito cared when the Inn door burst open. Everyone in the Inn looked to the door at the same time. Most looked on in surprise as a tired looking Kirito walked through the door and made his way over to the dimly lit table in the corner. Asuna jumped up from the table and pulled him into a tight hug which he returned without question or surprise.

"What happened Kirito? It's not like you to be late like this." Agil questioned from his seat.

Kirito met Agil's eyes, his expression was grim as he removed his mask before speaking. "It's happening sooner than we thought it would. I hoped it wouldn't happen at all, but that was just naivety I suppose." Kirito answered vaguely.

Agil's eyes widened and he slumped a bit in his seat. Asuna pulled back from the hug and stared at Kirito with a puzzled look on her face. Kirito motioned for her to sit and took the seat next to her in the booth. He sighed as he began to explain the situation to Asuna.

"Agil and I had a conversation during the first month of SAO about some of the things we might see as we progress in this game. As the players grow more confident with their abilities and situation within SAO… things will change." Kirito paused, the grim look still plastered on his face as he took a drink from his cup.

"And?" Asuna pushed a little. She could tell that this really troubled Kirito and Agil if the looks on their face were anything to go by. They both looked more solemn than she'd ever seen them before.

"Our worst fears have been realized." Agil said to Asuna, not really telling her anything. He turned to Kirito. "How many Kirito?" He questioned with a heavy sigh.

Kirito clenched his fist around his cup causing it to creak from the pressure. "Six men. I let one go, he was quaking in his boots by the time it was over." He explained, a hint of anger in his voice. Though Agil couldn't tell if he was angry at himself for killing them, letting the man go, or over the entire situation. It was probably all of the above he reasoned soundly.

Asuna was growing tired of being half in the loop. "What the hell are you two talking about? What do you mean you let one go?" She demanded, starting to get angry. She didn't really have a short temper per say, but she was by no means the most patient person in the world. Kirito and Agil rarely, if ever, withheld information from her either.

Agil sighed. "PKer's." He said simply, as if that explained everything.

Asuna blinked in confusion. "PKer's?" She didn't know the term. It hadn't come up since she'd been trapped here in SAO and, beyond this hell, she had no experience with MMO's.

"Player Killers." Kirito clarified emotionlessly, much to Asuna's horror. She stifled a gasp to which Kirito nodded. "In a normal MMO they're a common thing and it's not really a big deal. I never liked them myself but there was no real problem with it. But, here… well you understand the reality of it." He explained, allowing a bit of sadness to leak through his apathetic facade.

Asuna was shocked. How could anyone think killing another person in cold blood was okay? "But why? Why would they do that?!" She breathed out in disbelief.

Agil frowned as he attempted to give reason to the PKers actions. "For the same reason players do it in normal MMO's, I suppose; To steal money and items from other players. Kirito and I figured this may happen at some point, we knew that some players would lose themselves to this reality. But, never this soon." He finished with a shake of his head.

"Wait!" Asuna exclaimed, turning to Kirito. He didn't meet her eyes as she spoke, already knowing where she was going. He wasn't sure how this would go. He wanted to have faith in Asuna that she would still accept him, but it was hard. "You said six men attacked you and you let one go… what happened to the other five?" She questioned hesitantly, though she already knew the answer deep down inside. It was a reality she wasn't sure she was prepared to accept.

Kirito was silent for a moment, as was Agil. The atmosphere around their table was what you might expect at a funeral. Finally he looked up and met her eyes. She almost gasped in shock at the pain and sadness held in his twin orbs. "I killed them Asuna. They tried to kill me and had killed others, so I killed them." He stated simply, his voice hollow and emotionless.

Asuna's eyes widened and she did the last thing Kirito expected. She pulled him into an embrace and cried softly into his shoulder. Kirito recovered from his shock after a few moments and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you okay with this Kirito?" Agil asked carefully.

Kirito sighed as he continued to hold Asuna. It comforted him slightly but it also pained him to see her cry over something he chose to do. It was an emotional pain he meant to bear alone. "It scares me Agil. It was easier this time, much easier. The pain is already starting to fade, though I doubt it will ever be gone completely. That's probably for the best though." He explained tiredly.

Agil nodded, he had no experience with such things himself and could only imagine what Kirito was going through. At least it hadn't been his first kill, who knows what kind of an emotional wreck he would be right now. Or worse, he could have frozen up mid battle and been killed himself. Agil heard stories, like many others, of the effects a first kill could have on a person's psyche. Thankfully they lived in a time that war and death wasn't the everyday norm. Unless you were trapped in SAO… or lived in a third world country...

Asuna pulled back from Kirito's embrace and met his eyes. "What do you mean it was easier this time. You… You've killed before?" She asked quietly, as if afraid of the answer.

Kirito sighed heavily. "I've been meaning to tell you this for some time but an opportune moment never arose. You see…" Kirito launched into his story of his grandfather's murder and how he killed the murderer. By the end Asuna was in tears once again.

 _Kirito's had a hard life._ Asuna thought sadly as she cried softly into his shoulder. _To be forced to kill at such a young age, then be trapped in this game by the man he saw as a surrogate father... He has so much on his shoulders…_

"We should probably forego training and clearing today. The Clearers wont miss us for one day. We can just hang out here." Agil suggested.

Kirito and Asuna nodded in agreement, it had been a heavy morning for sure. No need to fight today.

Asuna looked up at Kirito once again. "What are we going to do about the PKers?" She questioned as she dried her eyes on his cloak.

Kirito hummed in thought. "I'm going to contact Argo. She'll spread the word of what happened. By the end of the week everyone in SAO will know. Hopefully that will deter some of the less eager PKers. That's about all we can do for now." He reasoned.

Agil nodded. "We'll just have to keep our guard up more. I highly doubt anyone will be foolish enough to attack you again Kirito, but Asuna and I may not be so lucky. We should stay in pairs at all times unless in a non-combat zone."

"Agreed… maybe now would be the time for you to set up a permanent shop Agil. You've been considering it for weeks. Asuna and I would be fine together on the front lines and you could join us for the boss fights and training." Kirito suggested carefully, he didn't want to offend his friend with the suggestion. Or make it sound like he was trying to get rid of Agil. He loved having the man around, but things would be getting a whole lot more complicated.

Agil nodded. He understood the reasons perfectly. He couldn't argue the fact that his time would be better suited running a full time shop for the Clearers on the front lines. He would be a major target for PKers with the reputation as the richest man in SAO. It would only bring their small group unwanted attention in the field. "Maybe you're right. I can move the shop up several floors as we clear them. You can always bring the loot to me for sale. At least until you decide it's time to enact the plan, Kirito."

Asuna smiled and grabbed Kirito's arm. "Kirito and I will be fine on our own so don't worry about us. Besides, I've been meaning to introduce you to a friend of mine, Agil. I met her on the last floor, about a week ago. She's a blacksmith, probably the best one in Aincrad at the moment. She's looking to open a permanent shop…" She trailed off suggestively all the while eyeing Agil.

Agil smirked and stroked his chin. "Well isn't that interesting. I may have to have a word with this blacksmith of yours. This could prove to be and extremely profitable arrangement. What's her name and where can I find her?" He questioned with interest.

Asuna smirked as well, both had dollar signs in their eyes at this point. "Her name is Lizbeth and I can take you to her now. She's actually on the front lines doing discount repairs today."

Kirito sighed and face-palmed. It was true that they need all the money they could get for his plans but this was a bit ridiculous. The others laughed at Kirito's reaction. A small smile made its way to Kirito's face despite today's happenings. His friends were safe and he would kill a hundred more men to keep them that way.

* * *

 **Later That Day  
** **Aincrad Floor 12  
** **Town Nearest The Front Lines**

"Lizbeth!" A voice called out over the crowd.

Lizbeth looked up from the sword she was repairing to see the decent size crowd of Clearers parting to let a large black man through. She heard many whispers from the crowd as the man moved through them.

'What's Agil-sama doing here?'

'If he's here then The Black Swordsman must be nearby as well!'

'Isn't that Asuna-sama behind him? People have been calling her The Flash 'cause she's so fast!'

The crowd quieted as Agil and Asuna reached the center of the crowd. Lisbeth handed the sword she was working on back to its owned and turned to face her new friend and Agil. She knew of Agil, some called him The Golden Man due to how rich he was in SAO. A wealth that was partially thanks to Kirito for supplying many high level goods for sale, not that she knew that. Why was he here though, and with Asuna?

"Lizbeth, this is my good friend Agil." Asuna introduced the man, much to Lizbeth's surprise. She had no idea Asuna was friends with the man. She had only met Asuna a week ago though. In that time Asuna had been surprisingly tight-lipped concerning her traveling companions.

The Clearers on the front lines knew who Asuna traveled with but Lizbeth was very new to the front lines. She had yet to hear anything about her new friend. What she had heard was that Agil was known to travel with The Black Swordsman. If that was the case then it stood to reason that her new friend also traveled with that man.

Lizbeth shook Agil's hand shyly. "It's nice to meet you Agil-sama. I've heard a lot about you since coming to the front."

Agil laughed as he looked down at the younger girl. She was about Asuna's height and weight but seemed much weaker. Not really surprising since Asuna is considered the strongest female player in SAO. Lizbeth was wearing what appeared to be an armored red and white maid outfit. That, along with her pink hair, made her stand out in the crowd.

"No need to be so formal, especially if you agree to our proposal." Agil replied after a moment of taking in her appearance.

Lizbeth looked to Asuna questioningly. Asuna just gestured to Agil, the man was smiling and Lizbeth could have sworn she saw dollar signs in his eyes. "Uh… what kind of proposal would that be Agil-san?"

Agil smirked as he glanced around at all the onlookers and potential eavesdroppers. "Let's go somewhere more private. I promise you wont regret it."

Lizbeth nodded a bit hesitantly and followed the duo out of the crowd. Much to the disappointment of said crowd. They walked down the street in silence and she noticed that every player in the town was giving Agil and Asuna respectful looks. Some even gave slight bows of respect to the duo as they passed.

"Um… Asuna?" Lizbeth voiced quietly.

"Hmm?" She hummed back.

"Why is everyone being so respectful to us?" Lizbeth wondered.

Asuna giggled slightly. "Probably, mostly, because our party leader is the Black Swordsman, Kirito-kun. He's gained the respect of most of the Clearing Force and is sort of their de-facto leader. He's been keeping the Clearing Guilds in line since their formations on the sixth floor." She informed the blacksmith.

"Ah, I see." Was Lizbeth's intelligent response. It was a lot to take in. Her new friend and Agil were partied with the strongest and most well respected player on the front lines. Actually, he was the strongest most well respected player in all of SAO. Depending on who you asked, that is. There were plenty of people on the lower floors who even believed he was planted in the game by Kayaba. Their opinions held no weight up here though.

But, what did this trio of elite players want with her? A lowly blacksmith...

"Were here." Asuna said as they entered one of the town's many Inns. It was the one frequented by the Clearers and hardly anyone else. They made their way over to a small table, large enough for four people, in the back corner of the Inn's main floor. It was significantly darker in this corner of the Inn's main floor. Though that was probably partly due to the dark curtains drawn over the window, Lizbeth noted. She could barely make out the figure already seated at the table.

His back was to the wall in the corner. Presumably so he could observe all the happenings in the room and see who might walk through the door. His pitch black cloak covered his entire form and shadowed most of his face. Lizbeth could barely make out his eyes behind the brim of his hood. They were surprisingly cold but she thought she caught a brief flicker of warmth in the black orbs. Leaning on the wall next to him, on the inside of the booth, was a pitch black Katana.

Asuna took a seat next to the mystery man. She sat surprisingly close to him, almost leaning into his side, something that Lizbeth picked up on immediately. He made no move to shy away from her or to show he was uncomfortable with her closeness. Agil took a seat across from them on the inside, next to the window. Lizbeth sat down next to him.

Asuna smiled as she spoke. "Lizbeth, this is Kirito. The Black Swordsman and de-facto leader of the Clearing Force." She introduced.

Lizbeth's eyes widened as Kirito lowered his hood. He hadn't been wearing his mask since he'd just finished eating. She was surprised to see a young man not much older than herself. Everyone heard stories of the Black Swordsman but most assumed that he was much older.

There were even rumors that he hid his face because he had an ugly scar or something of the like. Lizbeth was glad to know that wasn't true. It was far from true in her opinion, so much so that she could feel herself blushing. If she didn't see how close Asuna was sitting to Kirito she would try and snag him for herself. _Life sure isn't fair sometimes…_ She thought with an inward sigh. There was no way she could compete with the likes of Asuna for someone like The Black Swordsman.

Outwardly she smiled shyly. "It's nice to meet you, Kirito-sama."

Kirito shook his head at her formality. "My friends call me Kirito. The clearing force calls me Kirito-sama." He explained with a small laugh. Asuna and Agil could still hear the bitterness in his voice from this morning's events but Lizbeth thankfully missed it. Kirito was good at hiding his true emotions. It was an unhealthy habit but it had it's uses like anything else.

Lizbeth blushed a little more at Kirito's seemingly friendly response and quickly turned to Agil to ask about the proposal. Asuna noticed Lizbeth's reaction and she couldn't blame her. Kirito made her feel like that as well more often than not. Though she would make it clear to her new friend that Kirito was off limits. She didn't really know _what_ she wanted from Kirito right now, but she certainly wasn't going to let some other girl take him!

"Agil-san, why did you bring me here?" Lizbeth questioned in a business like manner. It was clear that she was feeling more comfortable now.

Agil grinned at her tone, she'd be perfect. "To put it simply… I want you to go into business with me. You would technically be working for Kirito here since he's our leader, but you'd make more cor in a week then you've made since this damn game began."

To say Lizbeth was surprised by the offer would be an understatement. They wanted her to come blacksmith for them? More cor in a week then she made during her entire time in SAO? That was amazing!

"I… I don't know what to say!" Lizbeth exclaimed breathlessly.

Kirito smiled slightly. Some people got so overwhelmed over the simplest of things. What he would give to have a life so simple at times… "Well, we hope you say yes. I have big plans for the future and we could use the best blacksmith in SAO." He praised. He had no actual knowledge of her skills but Asuna said she was the best and that was enough for him.

Lizbeth blushed again. "I don't know about the best…" She said, downplaying her skills.

Asuna shook her head. "Your definitely the best, Lizbeth. We want you to make weapons for Agil to sell in his shop, for now that is. A shop that both of you would run, though Agil would handle most of the sales. He's quite good at it, as you've no doubt heard." She explained.

Lizbeth nodded. She knew how great a salesman Agil was, not to mention a fair one. That was probably the reason he made so much money, people almost always walked away happy.

She thought for a moment before deciding. The choice wasn't really much of a choice at all. "Of course I'll join you! I would be a fool to turn down an offer like that!" She exclaimed, excited at the prospect of working with the best players in SAO.

They all smiled. Kirito quickly activated his player menu and four cups appeared on the table. Kirito raised his cup, his action mirrored by the others. "To the future of Aincrad." He stated softly.

"To the future of Aincrad. Kampia!" The others replied.

The small group spent the rest of the day drinking in the inn and just having a good time. Or at least trying to have a good time in Kirito's case. The possibilities for the future were weighing heavily on him and he wasn't sure weather they would fit into his plans or only serve to ruin them. Only time would tell and Kirito was in a less than patient mood as of late.

* * *

 **January 13, 2023  
** **Aincrad Floor 13  
** **Current Front Lines**

"Agil, on your right!" Kirito called out as he slashed through two Bearmen, one of the more powerful monsters inhabiting the forests on this floor.

Agil jumped to the left to avoid a wild slash of a Bearman's claws and delivered an expert thrust into the monster's chest with his new halberd like weapon. He relaxed as the Bearman he impaled burst into polygons along with the rest that were in the clearing fighting the other members of the Clearing Force.

Lizbeth had made the halberd spear special for him as a gift for allowing her the opportunity to work with him. Kirito and Asuna got new swords as well, though Kirito _may_ have earned a bit of Lizbeth's ire. Within thirty seconds he'd destroyed the gifted blade by testing its strength against Deathsinger.

Lizbeth was flabbergasted upon seeing her 'masterpiece' in two pieces. Thankfully she got over it quickly, but Kirito was certain that he created a monster. Lizbeth was now determined to create a blade that could resist Deathsinger's unparalleled lethality. Asuna and Agil found the entire situation hilarious.

It had been a few days since the PK incident in the woods on floor twelve and their subsequent meeting of Lizbeth. Agil and Lizbeth found a shop on the front lines but decided to wait until floor fourteen to purchase a place. Floor thirteen would be cleared within the week and they would have plenty of time to get set up on the next floor before it too could be cleared.

The original plan was to only move shop every could floors to save cost and time. But, with the amount of money they were bound to make from selling goods to the Clearing Force, they could easily justify moving up a floor every time the Clearers did.

Eventually they might even hire more players and open more shops on multiple floors. It was a chance to build an in game retail chain from the ground up to provide service to more than just the Clearing Force.

"Agil?" Kirito said curiously as he stepped up next to his friend.

Agil turned to his leader and smiled. "Sorry, just lost in thought about the future of my business ventures here in SAO. I figure, if I'm going to be stuck here for a long time, I might as well build something to show for it." He explained.

Kirito raised his eyebrows. "Oh? What are you thinking?"

Agil smirked and turned his attention back to the Clearers around them who were picking up the loot dropped by their most recent fight. "The Clearers may have the most capital currently and probably always will, but that doesn't mean we can't make some coin off the lower floors. Everyone in this game will need gear and supplies to survive. The way I see it, we're in a position to create something incredible in this world. We can create the first chain of player run supply shops on the most populated floors in the game."

Kirito's eyes widened at the implication of such an idea. It was much more ambitious than just running a shop for the Clearing Force. It would also involve a level of capital they didn't posses at this time. But, in twenty floors or so…

"Agil that's a fantastic idea! But, we can't afford it, not yet. We need to build up a major surplus of Cor before we can even consider starting such a thing. We also have to think about the plan. We're going to need a _lot_ of Cor. So much so that if our supply chain somehow fails, so too will the plan." He thought aloud, working through the basic numbers.

Agil nodded. "Of course, the plan always comes first. But, if this _does_ work, then we won't need to worry about having enough Cor." He chuckled as another thought struck him. "We may end up with so much Cor that we can start giving away every service and item to even the mid level players."

Kirito smiled at that. Agil was a giving person, a rare trait for someone so good at making money. People that had financial genius often tended to be selfish and greedy in his experience. He would never allow someone to be like that under his watch.

"Never change Agil, never change." He paused for a moment, his mood shifting from light to serious. Agil noticed the change and shifted all his attention to his leader. He knew Kirito well enough to know when to pay close attention.

"Agil…" Kirito began softly, keeping his voice low so the nearby Clearers wouldn't hear. "We're making good progress, but I'm troubled by the Aincrad Liberation Force. You remember Kibaou-san, yes?"

Agil nodded and grimaced. It was hard not to remember the jaded, outspoken, player. They hadn't heard from him in some time before he popped back up on the front lines with a small group of like-minded players a couple weeks ago. He hadn't caused too much trouble since coming back, but there was no doubt tension between his small group and the other Clearers.

He made no secret of his dislike and contempt for the Clearing Force's de-facto leader. This caused some issues with those in the Clearing Force who were already fiercely loyal to Kirito. No fight's physical fights had broken out yet, but plenty of verbal altercations had occurred. The situation only seemed to be escalating, though.

"Kibaou-san and his merry group of men were allowed a place in the Aincrad Liberation Force today. They don't hold any significant positions in the guild as of yet, but the fact they were allowed in to begin with is cause for worry." Kirito said with a sigh.

Agil crossed his arms and hummed in agreement. "The ALF has been making slightly more rash decisions lately. They seem less reluctant to follow you and the rest of the Clearing Force. It's not overly concerning yet, but…" He trailed off leaving the rest of his statement unsaid.

"But, it'll most certainly grow into something dangerous in the future. Especially with Kibaou-san as part of the guild." Kirito stated grimly. "Hopefully we can do our best to keep them in line. We have the backing of Klein's guild, the Divine Dragon Alliance, and the rest of the Clearing Force should anything happen."

"Yes, but we know that the DDA only truly follows when it suits their goals." Agil shot back. "If siding with the rest of the Clearing Force over the ALF doesn't benefit them in some way they may not back us. That would leave the Clearing Force divided."

Kirito closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. The front lines were already becoming a political playground. Did these people not fully grasp the situation they're in? It would take all of them working _together_ to clear this game and go home.

"I'll think on this later. The ALF is already moving away from the Clearing Force, nothing can be done to stop that at the moment, only slow it until they make a mistake. As for the DDA, I'll make sure they side with us somehow. Let's head back to town, it's getting late. Asuna should be done training Lizbeth for the day and I'm getting hungry." He finished before setting off towards town followed closely by Agil.

As they walked out of the forest, Kirito noticed an ALF raiding party returning as well. He scowled when he noticed that they were two men short of what they went in with. The ALF were slowly becoming a danger to themselves and the rest of the Clearing Force.

Something would have to be done eventually...

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and I hoped you enjoyed what I wrote. Like always feel free to review and PM me about the story if you have questions. I like to hear ideas as well since it usually sparks my imagination for _something_! I would also like to thank those of you who beta'd this chapter, you know who you are ;D**

 **As far as the next chapter(s) goes... it may be a few weeks. I've been given some great help concerning it from one of my readers and will be changing a fair bit of what I've written already. I'll be adding much more content as well, an extra 10k words at minimum I hope. Fall semester starts in two weeks as well so if I don't finish my edits and additions by then it could be a month or so before I post chapters 4 and 5. It all depends on my workload at school.**

 **Anyway, lets hope I have a stroke of creative genius and just smash out these next few chapter edits haha!**

 **See you next time,**

 **SNEAKYD**

 **08/07/2015 -Last Edit-**


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